Two Steps Back
by Belcris
Summary: In an act of absolute love and complete stupidity, Harry ran through the Arch after his Godfather. Now, he finds himself back in time on the night before his name came out of the Goblet of Fire. Harry's secrets will come out into the open and armed with greater confidence, what will the new future hold for him? HP/?.
1. Chapter 1

**Two Steps Back**

_By: Belcris_

_Summary: In an act of absolute love and complete stupidity, Harry ran through the Arch after his Godfather. Now, he finds himself back in time to the night before his name came out of the Goblet of Fire. Harry's secrets will come out into the open and armed with greater confidence, what will the new future hold for him?_

_Harry Potter created by: JK Rowling _

_Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and I do not seek to profit from this story. _

_WARNING: This story contains scenes of violence, foul language, multiple sexy witches, and a confident Harry. _

_Category: AU. Crossover. Adventure. Supernatural. Friendship. Romance._

* * *

**Chapter 1: What did I step in?**

The first thing I remember after running through the odd arch my godfather had just fallen through was the sound of several voices talking with each other. Several men and a woman were talking about something that was "not possible," "too early," and "an incredible opportunity." I really didn't care about any of that because all I wanted was a pain relieving potion for my aching head. I had only ever been hung over one time, the morning after the second task of the Triwizard Tournament. I remember waking up with Hermione on my left, Luna on my right, and our clothing on the floor. To this day I have no idea if anything happened between us that night and the girls aren't talking, which really gets on my nerves as neither of them drinks, so they have to remember something!

Anyway, that's besides the point at the moment, though I will have to think long and hard on that night to try and get my memory back of what happened, I'll do that when I'm alone to prevent interruptions. Right at the moment I was more concerned about the people talking around me as I didn't recognize any of the voices and that is never a good thing when I'm waking up in a strange place. My first thought was I had been captured by Death Eaters, but if that was the case I figured my scar would be burning by now, what with Voldemort being close by. As it was, my scar was remarkably quiet at the moment, so I wasn't about to complain too much. That left option two, that I was currently in a Ministry detention cell awaiting arrest when I woke up. Further thought kind of made that one iffy as I figured Fudge would have had me put in prison without a trial if that were the case, it wasn't like he hadn't done it before. That left two other options, I was either in St. Mungo's waiting for treatment, or I was royally buggered and had no clue where I was. I was leaning towards the later options at the moment as that was just the way my luck usually worked.

"He's awake," said the female voice. "Just make this happen, boys. No arguments, just get it done."

I tried to open my eyes to see what was going on, but oddly I couldn't. It was like my eyes were already open, but the area around me was too dark to see anything. Maybe it was always dark on the other side of the veil, which I was starting to think was not just a cloth hanging in the opening of a stone arch to keep people from mistaking it as an ancient Quidditch hoop. I heard someone moving towards me, the footsteps sounded like a short stride, bare feet on stone and soft like what Ginny sounds like when she's sneaking around behind me and doesn't think I know. Suddenly I found a small hand brush my bangs back away from my scar, then it was the oddest thing cause I swear someone kissed my forehead. There was a moment of pain, just the briefest sensation, then warmth seemed to flood through my whole body. I hate to say it, I mean it was just such a pure feeling, but I suddenly had an erection that could have been used to drive six inch steel spike straight though solid stone.

"As you command, so shall it be done, Adon!" shouted several male voices.

I felt the presence of the young woman pull away as I heard her say, "Good boys! Now, I've dealt with this one, so you all deal with the rest. Mike, you and Gabe are on guard and guide duty. Keep him out of trouble, teach him what he needs to know, and for my sake get him some new clothes."

Suddenly I felt a small hand pat my lap, specifically my erection and much to my embarrassment, the young woman suddenly whispered to me, "Thanks for the compliment, Harry, but you're a little young for me. Save this thing for the ones I'm going to send your way. I promise you, you're going to love the surprise. They may even share, but that's between you and them. Now, you take care of yourself and listen to the boys, okay?"

"Who are you?" I asked, for the first time feeling brave enough to speak. I mean if a young woman has her hand on your penis, she can at least answer that one simple question, right?

"I'm just someone that has looked over you since the moment I first knew you," she said with a hint of a giggle in her voice. "I feel bad because I let things get a bit out of hand, for which you suffered. I really am sorry about that. Sadly, until just a little while ago, there was nothing I could do about it. Then in an example of absolute love and complete stupidity, you presented me an opportunity to correct my previous mistakes by leaping though an old backdoor I forgot to seal up. Now, I can't tell you too much directly as that would be a bit too much direct interference on my part, but Mike and Gabe are going to bring you up to speed. Trust them, they are my best and they will not fail you."

Suddenly I was engulfed in the most loving and warm embrace I have ever felt in my life. No one had ever hugged me like that before and I seriously doubt anyone ever would again. Molly Weasley tries to engulf you and never let you go when she hugs you, it's rather smothering. Hermione on the other hand is very exuberant with her hugs, but they end too quickly, almost as if she's afraid to commit to them. The only other person that every hugged me was Luna, and she grabbed my arse when she did, so I related hugs from her with sexual excitement. This hug, from an unknown young woman, seemed to be filled with a sense of absolute safety and love. It was incredible and I will never forget it.

"Okay," I whispered, hugging the petite figure back as best I could.

"Good boy," she whispered, then kissed me on the cheek and let me go.

I knew the moment she released me that she was gone, not just having stepped away from me, but no longer present. The rustling I heard around me was the signal that several of the people that had been present were also gone now. Immediately I felt lonely and I wanted cry, the way I imagine a child wants to cry when they watch their mother walk away from them that first time they are separated. It was a new experience for me considering my first experience with being left behind by a parent I couldn't remember and I was thrilled the first time my aunt or uncle left me somewhere alone. What can I say? I had a messed up childhood and experiencing anything even remotely like what I missed was usually cause for my eyes to mist up.

Anyway, I noticed I was finally starting to see details in the black void around me. At first it was vague shadows, but soon it was distinct shapes as if someone was slowly turning up the lights. Much to my surprise I realized I was standing in the middle of the Gryffindor common room late at night. How I got there, I have no clue. The better question would have been how was I suddenly shorter than I remembered being just a few minutes ago and who were the two guys standing beside me. The one on my left was movie star handsome, blond, blue eyed, and disgustingly fit. You know, the type girls just gush over and make guys like me jealous as hell that we don't look like them. The other guy, the one on my right was a head taller than me with shoulders three times wider than my own, with his ginger hair, brown eyes, and sunburned face he looked like someone that spent the majority of his time outside. Weird thing was, even with them both being complete strangers, I felt safe. No, not as safe as I had felt when the young woman hugged me, but it was a close thing.

"No offense," I said, taking a few steps away from them before I turned to look at them, "but who are you guys and how did we get here? Last thing I remember, I was fighting in the Ministry and my godfather had just fallen through some old arch. Is he okay? Are my friends okay? What's going on?"

"Calm down, kid," growled the ginger. "My name is Mike and he's Gabe."

The blond guy smiled at me, saying, "It's good to meet you!"

"Yeah, yeah," continued Mike. "See, we're like your personal motivators, bodyguards, and therapists for the next little while."

"I'm the therapist," added Gabe. "Trust me, that's a good thing. His solution to everything is usually to blow it up and let someone else sort it out after the fact."

Mike just shrugged and nodded as he pulled out a cigar and started gnawing on it. "Why mess with a good solution. You either deal with it, or it deals with you. I don't know about you, kid, but I prefer to be the one dealing with things."

Walking over to the fireplace, Mike bit off the end of his cigar before spitting the offending tip into the fire and using his suddenly flame covered finger to light the stogey. "Anyway, back to your questions. The answer is a bit more complicated than you imagine. See, your little fight at the Ministry hasn't happened yet. In fact, your whole fifth year and most of your fourth has yet to happen yet, so as of right now your godfather and friends are in great shape!"

"Wait!" I barked, looking at the odd man like he was crazy, which was quite possible at the moment. "How is any of that possible? Hermione told me that time travel was impossible!"

Gabe smiled at me, walking over and sitting on one of the large sofas. "Miss Granger would be absolutely correct in most normal situations, save this is not a normal situation. See, the delightful Miss Granger may know a great deal about a great many things, but compared to everything there is to know in the Universe, she's still just barely skimming the surface."

"Yeah, what he said," growled Mike jabbing a thumb in Gabe's direction. "See, you weren't supposed to take your little trip through the Veil for a long time yet. So, imagine my surprise when I get a priority summons because you've just shown up in the waiting room several years too early. You really had people scrambling to figure out what went wrong. Talk about a complete FUBAR."

Gabe nodded with a smile. "Very true, but it gave the Boss such a wonderful opportunity to correct several oversights from the past few years. So, She sent us back here to correct those little mistakes."

I flopped down in the chair closest to the fireplace and took my glasses off, rubbing the bridge of my nose. "That arch wasn't just some odd old magical artifact, was it?"

"That would be a big no, sonny boy," drawled Mike. "That there Arch was at one point the gateway to paradise. Then some idiot politician thought it would make for a great means of getting rid of prisoners, since no one came back after passing through it. Well, we had to disconnect the Arch from Paradise at that point as we didn't need criminals getting an express ticket to Paradise when they should have been on the expressway to Hades."

"It did cause some problems for Lu and the Boss, but these things happen," agreed Gabe. "Eventually the Arch was just disconnected, but due to a clerical error everyone thought it was sealed when in reality it was still being used for prisoner disposal. The Boss was most displeased by that."

"That's putting it lightly," Mike said with a smirk. "She had to go and round up all those criminals that were still floating around in the Void and direct them to their proper destination. In fact, she was in the middle of doing that when you showed up. Talk about a surprise to see Harry Potter floating in the middle of the void when he should have been fighting Voldemort and winning."

That answered all my questions right there I groaned, standing up and heading for my dormitory. "Well, it's official, you two are both nuttier than squirrel shite. Me beating Voldemort? You two are insane. Tell you what, why don't you two go round up Merlin and see if you can't get him to return your common sense to you. Meanwhile, I'm going up to bed and see if I can't wake up from this dream."

I didn't wait for them to say anything, actually I didn't even give them the chance as I stood up and made my way up to my dorm room for a good nights sleep and maybe an end to the peculiar dream I had found myself in. That's when things got strange, or stranger as the case may be. I opened the door to the Fifth year dorm and stepped through only to find myself stepping into the common room again. Now being the stubborn sort, I immediately turned around and stepped through the door again, and again, and again. I lost count of trying to figure it out after finding myself in the common room for the twentieth or so time. Each time I would watch Gabe and Mike sitting on the couches, Gabe would wave and Mike kept smoking his cigar. Refusing to give up, I just kept walking in the portrait hole, up the stairs, and into my dorm room only to find myself right back in the common room. It was only when after who knew how many repetitions I heard the portrait hole open behind me and watched as a very naked Luna Lovegood walked in right after me.

Okay, let me tell you something about Luna Lovegood. Luna is not crazy or loony in any way shape or form, it's all an act she uses to protect herself. That and it annoys Hermione to no end, something I get a kick out of watching. No, she is one of the most wonderful and special people in the world with a heart so big it dwarfs everything else. Sadly, she is also a target of bullies and jealous bints all around the school because she is so special. The fact that Luna started developing a chest before the rest of the girls in her year might have had something to do with it. Not many people know that I've been watching out for her since my third year when I found Luna wandering naked through the castle after the bints in Ravenclaw kicked her out into the halls in the middle of the night. That night Luna admitted to me that all through her first year at Hogwarts the girls in her dorm had been locking her out of the dormitory naked at night, no mater how cold it got. She had missed so many classes due to sickness that she almost got held back a year. By second year when I found her wandering the castle, the girls in her year had just gotten to the point where they would steal all her clothes the first night she was there and then toss her out of the tower the moment they got her alone. Most days she only had a threadbare robe to keep her covered and warm, while the nights would be spent shivering and crying in one hiding spot or the other, waiting for dawn when she would be allowed back into Ravenclaw. I know that they only allowed her even that because they did not want to get caught.

I wanted to tell Professor Flitwick about the situation, but Luna convinced me it would just make things worse. I wasn't sure I believed that, but Luna did and she made me promise not to tell anyone. When I almost refused to promise, Luna began crying and got up to go and I think it was right then I knew she would be dead by morning if I let her go, whether from freezing to death or suicide. Swallowing the anger I felt inside, I chased after Luna and promised I would not tell, though I left no doubt about the fact I felt she should tell someone. With no other choice, I wasn't going to let her freeze to death in the hallways, I took Luna back to Gryffindor tower with me where she curled up in bed next to me. I gave her one of Dudley's old shirts to wear, and held her in my arms as she cried herself to sleep. Since then, Luna always has the password to the Gryffindor dormitory and a standing invitation to share my bed if she needs it, I keep that shirt of Dudley's tucked away under the foot of my bed just for her. I was going to give her a bigger one when she started to outgrow it, but Luna swears it fits just fine even if it does barely cover anything anymore.

So, with that backstory out of the way, you'll understand why it is not uncommon for me to see Luna in that state fairly regularly. It was also my first real indication something was wrong with me, other than the fact that I seemed a little shorter than I remembered being previously. See, Luna has always been a rather mature girl for her age. She told me fairly early on in our friendship that she started puberty when she was nine and had developed breasts by the time she was ten, meaning when she reached Hogwarts Luna was already trying to hide a respectable and very perky B cup chest that by my fifth year had reached C cup. I will fully admit that I have spent many a night admiring Luna's chest, the rest of her body as well if we are really being honest, though we have never had intercourse or even dated. That being said, seeing Luna's chest back to its B cup size stopped me dead in my tracks.

"Will you stop with the resets, Harry!" demanded Luna as she strutted across the room, past me and directly over to Gabe without even a hint of modesty. In a flash, no pun intended, she had Mike's cigar out of his mouth and in the fireplace before he could blink. "That thing stinks, you know that, right?"

I think all three men in the room were stunned, I know I was, as a naked Luna dragged me over to a sofa and pushed me down on it. Standing in front of me with legs slightly spread, hands on hips, and a scowl on her face I couldn't be sure if I should be slightly turned on or scared out of my wits. I chose to go for a bit of both when she just continued to glare at me for a moment, then closed her eyes and went to her dreamy place. I don't know what it's really called, but sometimes Luna get's this look on her face like she's dreaming of all the good thing in life, like puppies and ice cream while cuddling with someone you like. When she gets that look on her face is when you know that Luna is figuring things out. I think I'm the only person that has seen her go to the dreamy place in her mind as she only seems to do it when she feels absolutely safe, such as when she's completely alone or when she's with me. Anyway, that's besides the point, the real point is while Luna is in that state of mind she can figure things out that no one else can. It's how she knows the things she does, even when there is no other possible way she could know it. I've asked her if she's a seer, but according to Luna it's not divination or anything like that. Who knows, but I look at it this way, if Hermione can't figure the answer out in the Library, Luna can in the dreamy place.

Opening her eyes back up after we all sat there silently watching her for a few moments, Luna smiled down at me before reaching down to pull open my robes, thankfully I was wearing something under them, before she crawled onto my lap and wrapped the robes closed around us again. One of my favorite things in the world is holding Luna, not in the hormone driven sense, but just holding her in my arms. Whether it be the sneak hugs we sometimes give each other during the day, or the cuddling we do at night when she sneaks into my room, holding Luna is just great. So sitting there in the common room, late at night, after so many odd things and events had happened to me recently, holding a naked Luna in my arms as she rested her head just under my chin seemed to bring a hint of normalcy to my night.

"You stupidly brave man," Luna said after several moments of working her arms around me and just holding on for dear life. "You have no idea what you did, do you?"

"No, I really don't," I said after a moment, resting my chin on the top of her head and holding on to her for dear life. "I'm starting to think it was really stupid and that's scaring me."

I could feel my chest getting wet, which meant Luna was crying, something I always hate to see. "Yes, Harry, it was _really_ stupid, but in a way it was a good thing."

"Tell me?"

Mike and Gabe sat on the couch watching as Luna began to explain it to me. "You died, Harry. You walked through the Veil of Death and you died."

"So, I'm dead?" I asked, feeling my eyes start to tear up. "You died to, is that why you are here?"

Luna shook here head, hugging me even tighter. "No, you aren't dead. You got extremely lucky and drew the attention of someone with the power to undo what you did. The fact that you did what you did to save someone you loved, combined with your own destiny, added to how bloody noble you are earned you a second chance. I can't understand it all right now, probably because most of it has never happened now, but you've been sent back in time. I don't know how long..."

"Nearly eighteen months, dear," Gabe said with a smile as he looked at Luna. "Almost two full school years."

"Thank you," Luna said with a nod to the helpful man. "You've come back to the early morning hours of the 31st of October, 1994. It's the morning before the Champions are chosen for the Triwizard Tournament. I don't know the future, Harry, but I know you and your luck, so I'm guessing your name is going to come out of that Cup tonight. It's going to be bad, isn't it?"

I debated whether or not to lie to her, but I had promised never to do that to Luna, so I wasn't going to start now. "Yeah, it's going to get really bad, Luna."

"Yeah, well maybe not," Mike said gently, or at least gently to him. "That's why we're here. Me and Gabe are going to teach you a few things, well Gabe's gonna teach and I'm going to be watching your back. See, we're gonna correct a few little mistakes."

"Excuse me, but that will be allowed?" asked Luna and though I couldn't see it, I just knew from the tone of her voice that she was giving Mike one of her patented looks that makes you want to tell her the truth. "I may not know the future, but I do know who you are and who you both work for. Are you telling me that She is going to get off the fence this time and do something to help?"

"Who do they work for?" I asked, whispering the question in Luna's ear and causing her to shiver.

"Stop that," she whispered back, still shivering a little. "I can't tell you, Harry. Not that I don't want to, but that I really physically can't."

Gabe looked a bit sheepish as he held up a hand to get our attention. "Don't blame Luna, Harry. That's the Boss' doing. She has a policy of noninterference and because of that she feels that until you figure out who she is, no one can reveal it to you. So, you have to figure out who we are and who she is before anyone can confirm or deny it."

"Meanwhile, like the lass was saying, you got sent back to fix things," continued Mike. "Our job is to make sure you do it the best possible way."

"And your Boss has this much power?" I finally asked, trying to think of all the witches I had ever heard of that might be powerful enough for this, but coming up blank.

"Oh, you could say that, Harry," Mike said with a smirk. "For now, all you need to do is take the lass to bed and get some rest. In the morning Gabe and I are going to make a few arrangements that will help you out a bit and get this little predicament off to a good start."

"Can you get me into a new house?" asked Luna, sounding hopeful.

Gabe and Mike looked at each other for a moment and I swear they both glanced at the roof for a moment before Gabe answered. "Which house, child of the moon?"

"Harry's," she replied calmly. "Where he goes, I want to be there. Always."

Now that wasn't exactly the answer I expected, but hey, it was Luna and she always surprises me. "You sure about that, Luna. It's not going to be fun for me here in Gryffindor after my name comes out of that Cup tonight."

Pulling away from me enough so that she could look me straight in the eyes, smiling as she spoke. "I said what I meant, Harry, I will always be there with you."

Now you might think that with Luna sharing my bead most nights and the fact that we've explored each other's bodies rather extensively that we've kissed a lot. You would be wrong. Luna has kissed me countless times on the cheek and I've done the same, or kissed her forehead, but the number of times we've kissed on the lips can be counted on one hand. It's not that I couldn't see myself dating Luna, cause I could, but she had always told me that the time wasn't right. Rather ironic that now I was back in time she would lean up and kiss me so fiercely that I was wondering if maybe now was the right time for us.

"So be it," whispered Gabe with a smile. "You do realize that there will be more than one, don't you?"

Pulling back from the kiss, which had me feeling a little buzzed and very excited, Luna looked over at Gabe and smiled. "There will be three. The course has changed and that will trigger more changes. Three, no more and no less, for three is a powerful number."

"Oh, I like her," Mike said with a rather evil smile. "She's got spunk."

"Not yet, but give it a few years," Luna whispered, looking back up at me with a rather devious grin. "Now, take me to bed, Harry."

"Yes, ma'am," I said with a smile as I managed to get to my feet with Luna still in my arms.

"Mike and I will be around, Harry," Gabe said from the couch. "You won't see us until after the announcement tonight, but when you do, don't act surprised no matter what you hear. Keep this to yourself for now, we'll tell you when it's safe to talk about it."

I nodded as Luna displayed just how limber she could be by never once letting go of me with her arms, yet managing to wrap her legs around my waist. Then she ducked her head inside my robes and grabbed my wand, the wooden one, casting a spell that instantly hid the fact someone else was inside my robes with me. I looked down and could see my feet, even though I could currently feel Luna wrapped around my body with her head resting on my shoulder. It was damned impressive, as was the weight reducing charm she cast next. I swore to remember both for the years to come because I could see many possible uses for those two spells in later years. Oh yes indeed, they were going to be some of my favorites.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I looked over at the two men that said there were going to help me and asked the one question I had wanted to ask all night long. "Can I trust you two?"

"With your life, Harry," replied Gabe, bowing to me.

"We won't let you down, kid," Mike added.

I just nodded again and carried Luna up to my bed. I opened the door as silently as I could and looked around noticing that everyone else was sound asleep. In the dark I couldn't see the guys, but I knew that come morning they were going to be younger. It didn't matter to me right then and there, mainly because everything else was going on. Luna was doing a wonderful job of distracting me just by being her, but I could feel the fear still there on the edges. I climbed into my bed, pulling the curtains close and sealing them before I pulled my robes off to free Luna. She was already asleep, so I just pulled back the covers and laid her down as best I could before I shimmied out of my clothes and joined her. The moment the covers were pulled up, she was wrapped around me again, but that was fine as I needed the contact right then to keep the fears away. Yeah, I may have been watching over and protecting Luna all this time, but she's the one that keeps the nightmares away for me, so it balances out in the end. As sleep claimed me I kissed Luna's forehead and smiled knowing she was going to be there with me through it all.

* * *

_AN: Welcome to a new story. Currently it is not Beta'd, so if you find an error then feel free to let me know. _

_This story came about through several factors. The first was writing Lost Summer and just really liking it. The second was running into someone I hadn't seen since I was a kid and realizing I should have married her the moment I was old enough. The final factor was sitting in a coffee shop and talking with her about how if I could go back and do it all over again, would I?_

_My answer was yes._

_That just got me thinking and this story is the result of some of those thoughts since I can't go back, but Harry can. So, from his point of view we have a story about changing things for the better, or at least trying to. Harry does not know about Horcruxes or the contents of the prophecy. He's just mentally a little older, even if he's physically younger. That in mind, let's see where this goes._

_This story is actually already complete, though I am currently working on polishing it and 4 other stories at once. I will post updates when I post them and depending on the reviews I will either finish posting or cancel it and move on to other projects. Personally I like the story, so I'm good with it as it is._

_Hope you enjoy,_

_Chris :)_

_Side note... I get sick of hearing about Canon versus Alternate Universe. Honestly, unless you are JKR, anything we write here is AU, so drop it already._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: A Nice Change of Pace**

* * *

Morning came just a little too early for me after the previous night. I knew what was to come based on my experience from the previous time through this year. I had Herbology in the morning after breakfast, then Care of Magical Creatures, followed by lunch, and then finally an afternoon of Divination. Yeah, that just wasn't going to work for me this time around. I wondered if it was too late to change classes and get something other than Divination. An afternoon with Trelawney, even if it was only once a week, was still too much time spent with the old fraud. I really needed to talk to McGonagall before the afternoon.

Reaching over and grabbing my glasses, I pulled them on and wondered once again if there was some way to correct my vision magically. I was going to have to ask Pomfrey one of these days and not let myself get continually distracted by things like attempts on my life and maniacs trying to kill me. I mean really, everything has to have a priority. Being able to see the beautiful young woman in my bed without needing to put two coke bottles on my face was a fairly big priority for me. Not that this was the first morning I had woken up with Luna in my bed, but if I really had gone back in time then it was the first time I had woken up with her naked in my bed. Oddly, it wasn't as erotic as it was intimate, if that makes any sense. I mean, who am I kidding, I'm a guy and the crack of dawn makes me horny, but seeing Luna curled up next to me with her head on my chest and bare body draped over mine just looked so peaceful and serene. I think it was the most intimate moment I've ever had with her and we've had some extremely up close and personal moments. Too bad that it couldn't last for longer.

"Dobby," I called out, knowing the little elf was always nearby listening for my call.

"Harry Potter, sir, has called for his Dobby?" replied the house-elf a split second later, his voice seeming to come from nowhere as he was currently not visible.

"Yeah, Dobby, I need you to get me a full set of clean robes for myself and Luna, if it wouldn't be a bother?"

"It is never a bother, Harry Potter, sir," Dobby said and instantly there were two full set of robes folded up at the foot of the bed.

If you are wondering, Dobby managed to con me into binding him to the Potter family line during the summer after I freed him. At the time I had no desire to piss off Hermione, so I kept that fact tightly under wraps. Problem was, if I remembered correctly, Dobby would start asking me to bind his "friend" Winky to my family in just a few short days. At least that was the way things had gone the last time. Winky had tried finding a family on her own after the World Cup, but no one wanted a disgraced house-elf and she had eventually ended up at Hogwarts. I wasn't positive when she had first arrived, so there was little I could do about it until Dobby brought the situation to my attention. Last time around, I am ashamed to say, I never bound Winky to my family and lost track of whatever happened to her. This time around I felt it would be a wise idea to correct that mistake. That and Dobby really liked her and he deserved to be happy.

"Wake up, Luna," I whispered, kissing her forehead. "We've got classes today. I'm sure Ron and the others would love to see you like this, but we've got to get you out of here before everyone wakes up."

"Oh, they can go roger themselves for all I care," growled Luna, pulling the covers back over her head and wrapping her arms and legs around me just a little bit tighter.

I couldn't help but laugh, Luna is not a morning person at all, but she is just so cute when you try to wake her. "Fine, you stay here and sleep while I go get a shower, but if you aren't out of bed by the time I get back, I'm not putting up the silencing charms up next time you come by and you'll be forced to listen to Ron snore all night."

"Big deal," mumble Luna from under the covers. "I know how to cast silencing charms, Harry."

"Whatever, just get your cute butt out of bed," was all I could say as it was true, she could cast her own charms and I couldn't imagine listening to Ron snore more than I had to. "My invisibility cloak is under my pillow and your robes are at the foot of the bed. I'll head into the bathroom first to get the hot water flowing, give me about five minutes."

Luna sat up, letting the covers fall back as she stretched and yawned. Now I don't care who you are, that's just sexy as can be first thing in the morning. The fact that she then leaned over and hugged me was enough that I was thinking maybe I needed ten minutes, with the first five being with the cold water turned up full blast. Like I said, I'm a normal hormone driven young man, so seeing Luna naked is going to cause the standard reaction. Most mornings I would be a little too tired to even think about it, but today was special since I had some idea of what was to come. Yeah, I was dreading tonight and I honestly think that's why Luna was being a little more forward than I remembered her being the first time I did this. Last time I had not shared my bed with a naked Luna until after the second task, at which point it became a nightly thing.

"You think my butt is cute?" she asked crawling towards the head of the bed and my father's old cloak, giving me an absolutely perfect view of the posterior in question.

"Luna, without a doubt, your butt is one of the cutest I have ever had the pleasure to see," I informed her with a smile as I grabbed my robes. "I personally think your butt should be immortalized in stone and paint, with poets and bards dedicating verse to its perfection."

Luna just looked back over her should at me as she pulled the invisibility cloak out from its hiding place. "I'm thirteen, Harry, so you can cut the shite. I'm not having sex with you until we are at least sixteen."

Snapping my fingers and watching as her body slowly vanished under the cloak, I hissed, "Damn! It's going to be a long two years."

"Prat!" she whispered, laying back down on the bed and pushing me off the end with one dainty foot. "Go warm up the water and I'll be in shortly."

Releasing the sticking charms on the curtains around my bed, I got my first look at the day. Out the window I could barely see anything save a trace of silver light on the horizon. I tried remembering what the day had been like from the first time around, but my name coming out of the Cup had erased the smaller details from my mind. It had only been the events afterwards that really stuck with me. Fleur calling me a little boy. The argument with Ron. The entire school turning against me until after the first task. As I turned on the water for the shower to warm up, I wondered if I should forgive all the people I did the last time. The people that really mattered were the ones that had stood at my side when we went to the Ministry, the rest of them weren't really worth my time.

"What are you thinking about?" asked Luna as she stepped into the bathroom and locked the door behind her. "I can hear you brooding all the way from your bed."

Watching as Luna set her clean robes on one of the sinks before slipping out of my cloak and walking into the shower stall, I wondered the same thing until my brain engaged again. "I told you it got bad last time around for me, but I'm wondering if I worried too much about making everyone happy and forgot to focus on the ones that really mattered."

"Harry, you have always put everyone before yourself," Luna shouted from the shower. "Since the day I met you I've known that you see your life as being unimportant compared to everyone else. You're a walking martyrdom waiting to happen."

"Gee, thanks," I groused.

Luna stuck her head out of the stall and blew me a kiss before she continued. "Don't get me wrong, you're a good person, but you're right, you need to focus more on you and less on what other people think of you. Hand me a towel."

Grabbing two towels from the pile the house-elves always left for us, I walked over to the shower stall and held them out for her. "Alright, I get what you're saying, so you suggest I put myself first and let everyone else worry about themselves?"

Grabbing the towels from me and wrapping one around her torso and the other around her hair. Luna has a lot of hair, though at this moment and time it wasn't as long as I remembered it. Right now her hair with its dirty blonde color, I had to ask Hermione what that shade of blonde was called, was hanging just under her ribcage. I remember that two nights before we headed to the Ministry it was just touching the top of her highs. Starting this year, after the first task, Luna would start letting me brush her hair for her on the nights she ended up in my bed. Of course Luna had still asked that I not force the issue with her Head of House or her dorm-mates, though this time around I was going to make their lives hell. Stepping into the shower as Luna stepped over to the sink to get ready for the day, I made plans for taking care of the bints that had hurt my friend for so many years.

"No, Harry," I heard Luna say from outside the stall. "I don't need to be a seer to know what you're thinking. Those girls aren't worth it."

"Damnit, Luna," I growled as I lathered up. "You always say that, but the reality is they are getting away with it because you let them. If you would just tell Flitwick, he could stop it Luna!"

"No, I have to be the one to stop it, Harry," I heard her say as I washed my hair.

"Then drop the act," I barked, probably a little harsher than I really meant, but I had just caught my finger in a knot of hair and it hurt. "You say I put everyone else before myself, but you do the same thing. Just once, walk into the Great Hall with me as the amazing young woman I know you are, not the dotty persona you portray."

Silence reigned as finished my shower and turned the water off. I would have thought Luna was gone if she hadn't held a towel out for me when I turned to step out of the stall. She was fully dressed, her hair still a little damp as it hung loosely down over her left shoulder and I've got to admit it looked damned sexy like that. I actually had a brain freeze moment looking at her as I remember that currently she was not the fifteen year-old girl I remembered from just a few days ago, from my point of view at any rate. No, this was a thirteen year-old Luna I was currently having impure thoughts about. Sure, we share a bed most nights and I've seen he naked more times than I can count, don't even get me started on the exploring we were doing, would do, next year. Still, my moral compass was a little messed up at the moment. I had the emotions of an older me running around in the body of a younger me, I was really afraid that was going to cause some issues.

Luna turned around as I got dressed, more for my modesty than hers. Why? I have scars, not just the one on my arm and forehead, but other scars. Most of these are thanks to Dudley and his gang, but one set across my back was a birthday present from my uncle. Madame Pomfrey tried to heal them for me, but they were too old by my first year at Hogwarts for her to be able to do anything. Dumbledore called me up to his office when he found out about my back, honestly I don't know which one of us was the bigger emotional mess by the time I left, me or him. When the time came for me to go home for the summer Dumbledore apologized for the fact I had to return but he never did tell me why. Thankfully the Dursleys, except for Dudley, had not hit me in years, so I just got locked in my room and not beaten. Still, I didn't want Luna to see those scars, which I tell myself she never had, even though we share a bed most nights and I'm pretty sure she had seen them once or twice. It's a little illusion of mine that I cling to for my own piece of mind.

Tucking my shirt into my pants and doing up my belt, I turned and looked at her. "I'm sorry, Luna. I was harsh and I had no right to be."

"No, you were right," she replied with a shrug as she turned to face me. "I'm always telling you what you should do and expecting you to do it, because I care for you and want what's best for you. I forget, you care for me too and want what's best for me as well."

I had to chuckle as I pulled on my socks and did up my shoes. "We're a fine pair, aren't we?"

"That we are," she agreed, walking over and standing beside me. "I'll do it, Harry. 'Looney Lovegood' is gone starting right now if you will put yourself first more often?"

"Deal," I said with a smile, turning and hugging her, a small kiss on her forehead sealing the deal.

Hearing the first signs of someone moving around in the dorm, Luna put my cloak back on and we slipped out of the bathroom before anyone was the wiser. As we normally do, Luna will follow directly behind me as I gather my things and leave the room. I always open the door as wide as possible, letting it swing slowly closed behind me, this gives Luna plenty of time to slip through behind me. Luna doesn't put her shoes on until we get down to the common room where it's carpeted, to keep people from hearing her move around. Once we reach the common room in the morning, we wait for Hermione to join us. Yes, Hermione knows that Luna stays in my room most nights. Believe me, it was not a fun conversation when she found out. Let's just say she wanted to wake me up one morning, managed to unseal my curtains, and reached in to shake my shoulder.

As it turned out it was not my shoulder she grabbed and Luna shrieking because she had just been groped had me pouncing on her attacker in the blink of an eye. Thankfully Hermione had not canceled the silencing charm or everyone would have been awakened by the dual shrieking that morning. Considering it was still around five in the morning on a Saturday, no one was awake save for Hermione who later admitted she was just lonely and needed someone to talk to.

Anyway, we told Hermione what was going on and Luna explained her reasoning for sharing my bed. Obviously the situation did not sit well with Hermione's extreme need to follow the rules, but since neither boys or members of other houses can enter the girl's dormitories, Luna was stuck sharing with me. I wasn't complaining and neither was Luna, though for just a moment I thought I saw a glint of jealousy in Hermione's eyes. So, Hermione was our accomplice in the mornings as Luna would follow her into the girl's bathroom outside the Great Hall where Luna could give her my cloak and we would all act as if nothing had ever happened. On the days that Ron came with us, Luna would just wait a minute or two then she would be off on her way. It worked out fairly well.

Luna and I barely waited thirty seconds before Hermione joined us. "Good morning, Harry!"

"Morning, Hermione," I replied with a grin. "Ready for breakfast?"

"I assume Ronald is not joining us this morning?"

I shook my head, not really sorry for it at all. "No, he's still asleep last I saw. I wasn't in the mood to fight with him to get up, so he can have a bit longer to sleep this morning. I'm sure Seamus will wake him eventually."

Little known fact, Seamus always has a gas attack at some point right before he wakes up. It's another reason Luna and I try to get out as quickly as we can. I'm not kidding when I say that dragon dung fertilizer has nothing on Seamus in the morning. Usually, if you are unlucky enough to still be asleep when Seamus cuts lose, you won't be a few moments later. The coughing, watery eyes, and smell alone is enough to wake you up, but then Seamus starts laughing because he finds it so funny. I got caught several times when I first arrived at Hogwarts and then again in my second year, but Luna only got caught once and since then she has always made sure we were out of the dorm before there was even a chance of our noses being assaulted by that dreaded stench.

"Fine, let him sleep in," complained Hermione. "That boy has no respect for himself or his education."

"Oh, he's not that bad," I replied, trying to defend Ron's reputation.

"He's worse," whispered Luna, which Hermione caught and found funny if her snicker was any indication.

We were out of the Common Room and halfway to the Great Hall when I pulled Hermione into an unused classroom, Luna following right behind us. "Hermione, we've got to talk, now."

No, I didn't tell her about coming back in time, but I did tell her about the decisions Luna and I had come to. Hermione was rather happy about both, but concerned as well when I told her I was not going to be taking as much crap off of people this year. Luna summed it up best when she pointed out that my luck was a fickle thing at best and damned inconvenient at worst. When she reiterated that the Triwizard Tournament and I were in the same school, the chances of it affecting me in some way shape or form was a given. Hermione couldn't help but agree with the statement, which led to her giving me one of her "I'm so worried about you" hugs. They are great hugs until you realize she's doing her best to cut off your oxygen and breathing is becoming an issue.

Eventually, after Hermione stopped trying to suffocate me, the three of us made our way down to the Great Hall. We were forced to walk by the still burning Goblet of Fire, at which point I made a point of keeping my hands in my robes while walking as far away from the thing as I could. Luna and Hermione followed suit, but I noticed a figure standing on the far side of the room watching us, Barty Crouch Junior. I wondered if he had put my name in the Goblet yet, my guess was yes considering I knew now that he had gotten my signature off an old piece of homework, so there was no need for him to wait. My guess, he had my name in the damned thing before the end of the first night. I just wished there was a way I could stop all this before it began, but the little voice in the back of my head that represents my instincts was happy to inform me I couldn't change everything or what I knew of the future would be useless.

We were just about to walk through the doors to the Great Hall when Dobby suddenly appeared in front of me with a small scroll. Without saying a word, he handed me the scroll and vanished with a small popping sound, probably the quietest I had ever heard him arrive or leave. The scroll barely filled the palm of my hand, but I bet you from the feel of the parchment, it was the most expensive scroll I had ever seen. The parchment was pure white, not the yellowish white I normally saw around the school. If I had to really compare it to something I would have said it reminded me of the stationary aunt Petunia uses at Christmas to brag about everything the Dursleys have bought over the course of the year. I have complete trust in Dobby, so I pushed thoughts of my family out of my mined and opened the scroll immediately to read what was written inside.

_Harry and Ladies,_

_Yes, Harry, you can tell Hermione about us, so have fun with that conversation. As we told you last night, we will have your back, but the ladies in your life will be standing beside you and have the right to know what's going on. However, please, no secrets of things to come. Just the basics._

_Now, as for today. With the help of your ladies we hope to pull the rug out from under your detractors long before they ever have the chance to besmirch your name and honor. So, if they would not mind playing along, we suggest the following topic of conversation as you enter the Great Hall, the fact that with your standard luck, of course your name is going to come out of the Goblet of Fire._

_Of course you will be rather vocal in your feelings regarding that outcome and will get frustrated and swear the oath at the bottom of this page. Remember, it is important to say the oath word for word, trust us. After you give the oath, things will be a bit hectic, but if anyone should ask where you learned an oath like this one, tell them your solicitors forwarded it on to you and they will be more than willing to answer any questions they may have. Then send us a note via Hedwig asking if we can come by tonight after the ceremony._

_Oh, this is going to really blow some people's wee little minds._

_M & G_

Bellow the little letter was a very interesting oath that seemed to have both girls gasping when they read it. "I'm guessing this is a strong oath?"

"Oh, you could say that," confirmed Luna with a rather wicked grin.

Hermione was nodding, her eyes as big as I had ever seen them. "The strongest, Harry. I'm not sure you should even use this. Do you trust these people and who are they that they would suggest something like this? What do they mean you can tell me about them, who are they to tell you what you can and can't tell me? What is going on here and how could you know secrets of things to come?"

I shut her up the easiest way I knew how by hugging her. Hermione is used to her being the one to initiate our hugs, so when I initiate one it causes her neat and orderly mind to grind to a screeching halt until it can figure out what just happened. I know it's a bit underhanded, but sometimes you just have to use the tools you've been given and go from there. With Hermione you want to stop her early when she starts asking you questions back to back, otherwise you'll never get a chance to answer any of them. A simple hug, taking her hand and squeezing it, or in extreme cases a kiss on the forehead will always silence her for a few moments. Just hope you've been able to explain things before she starts again or it was all for nothing.

"I can't tell you everything right now, Hermione," I whispered, looking right into her eyes with a smile. "Not because I don't want to, but because we're a bit exposed at the moment and anyone could be listening in. Okay?"

Hermione forced her mind to restart, then nodded as I continued. "I promise you I will tell you everything tonight after the ceremony. You have my word on it."

"Slumber Party!" crowed Luna, earning a raised eyebrow from Hermione and a snicker from myself.

"Sounds like a plan," I agree, winking at Luna and turning back to a gapping Hermione. I closed her mouth with my finger then smiled at her. "We're walking in now and I think you should be the one to start us off, don't you?"

"I guess," she answered, but I could see she still had a lot of questions.

Nodding and giving a smile to both girls, I turned and pushed open the doors to the Great Hall. Much to my surprise, the moment I dropped my arms Luna had taken my left hand and Hermione took my right hand. Well, if anything was going to announce to the world that Luna was my friend, holding her hand would do that. As for Hermione, I had been holding hands on and off with her since the Troll incident. It would get the message across loud and clear, not to mention it felt good to hold both their hands. So, with a smile on my face, we stepped into the Great Hall and started the show of in style by drawing attention right where we wanted it.

"Honestly, Harry, we're talking about your luck here," Hermione said a little louder than normal. "If anyone could manage to not put their name in that silly Cup and still have it come out, it would be you."

Luna was nodding as she walked at my side, her head resting on my shoulder. "You do seem to have the most unique luck in these types of situations. First year it was a troll and a slew of challenges. Second year you dealt with incompetent teachers and had to kill a basilisk. Last year it was dementors and your godfather's unfortunate legal problems. How can we not expect you to be involved with in the Tournament, whether you like it or not?"

Suddenly feeling my wand being put in my hand by Hermione, I released the girl's hands and sighed. "I keep telling you I won't enter my name in this blasted contest, but I see your point. Still, just so you and everyone else knows..."

Raising my wand I took notice of everyone in the room. The students were all looking at me, though many them were also looking Luna, probably because she sounded so rational currently. Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Madame Maxine were at the head table looking at us, though in that one moment it looked as if Dumbledore was trying to leap over the head table to stop what he must know what coming next. I also saw Fleur Delacour sitting at the Ravenclaw table, though she seemed to barely pay us any mind. Sitting next to her was Gabrielle, her little sister. Now that surprised me because I had always thought Gabrielle was too young to attend Beauxbatons and had only come for the second task. Evidently that was not the case as she was staring right at me as were a pair of young women sitting across from Fleur. One was about the same age as Fleur, her eyes were focused solely on me and I was instantly entranced by their deep sapphire blue color that seemed to glow as she looked at me. Her heart shaped face was framed by golden hair and I noticed that she seemed to wear no makeup, yet her skin glowed. The younger girl sitting next to her looked almost exactly like her and I was positive they were sisters. What really made me curious was why I didn't remember seeing someone as beautiful as her the last time I did this. Had time been changed, or had I just been that unobservant the first time around. Knowing myself as I do, it was probably the later. Whatever the case may be, I had an oath to give and from the way Dumbledore was sprinting towards me, little or no time to give it.

"Adonai,

I Harry James Potter, last scion of House Potter, do swear oath that I shall not enter my name for the Triwizard Tournament competition, neither by my hand or my intent, nor shall I use another to stand in my place to do the same.

Should I break this oath to You, may my magic be stripped from me.

Should I keep faith with You, I ask Your favor and pray for Your guidance.

In Your name, Adonai, so mote it be!"

**Boom!**

Figuratively speaking at least, from the moment I began the oath, the whole place exploded into chaos. Every student in the Great Hall was now staring at me intently. Teachers were rushing towards me, though Dumbledore had skidded to a stop a few feet from me with an expression of horror on his face. It took maybe four seconds for McGonagall to reach me and start sputtering at me. I tried to make sense of what she was saying, but mostly it sounded like gibberish. Dumbledore reached me next and I noticed that the ever present twinkle in his eyes was gone. Out of nowhere, Snape appeared right next to McGonagall and he was yelling and snarling at me so viciously that spittle was flying everywhere as he bellowed, not that I understood a damned thing to come out of his mouth due to his incoherent rage.

"What have you done, Harry?" Dumbledore finally asked, looking both worried and angry all at once. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?"

"Umm, I would say I've just sworn that I will not willingly enter the Triwizard Tournament and that if, as Hermione and Luna think it will, my name should come out of the Goblet of fire it will not have been because I wanted to enter the damed contest," I stated calmly, staring the old man right in the eyes as I did. "I really don't see the problem here, Headmaster."

"The 'problem' you little toe-rag, is that as usual you're trying to gain even more attention to yourself by using an old and forbidden name of power to make your little oath!" roared Snape, literally spraying me with enough spittle that I had to wipe my face off on the sleeve of my robes. "Where you even learned that name, I have no idea as you are nowhere near smart enough to learn it on your own, but I cannot wait to see what happens to you when you are proven to be an oath breaker tonight."

"Harry, my boy, you must rescind that oath, at once!" demanded Dumbledore, looking panicked.

I don't know why I said it, but the way they were both acting just set my teeth on edge. I mean here was the man that had tortured me through most of the last year of my life, even if that year had now been erased. Not to mention the Headmaster's disregard for even looking me in the eyes last year, but now he was standing here demanding that I take back an oath that would insure I would never be seen as a cheater. With those two thoughts running rampant in my head, I just started to laugh at both of them. I couldn't stop it, I really couldn't. Obviously that was not the reaction that either of them expected because they just stood there looking like someone had just smacked them in the face with a wet mackerel.

"I tell you what, Headmaster," I replied with a smirk, "I'll take back my oath right after you give one stating should my name come out of the Goblet that you will compete in my place. Oh, and Snape has to give an oath that he is not now nor has he ever been a Death Eater. You both give me those two oaths to that effect and I'll take back my own oath. Deal?"

You would have thought both of them were sucking on Dumbledore's lemon drops when I said that. At first it was obvious the Headmaster was going to tell me he couldn't swear to something like that and then repeat his request that I take my oath back, but the moment I added the bit about Snap's background he clammed right up. I also proved once and for all that it was indeed possible for Snape to become paler than normal, though that was quickly changed as he started to turn red with rage. I just watched both men, Dumbledore gawping at me like a fish and Snape so furious he was vibrating. It was funny and I wanted to remember it for the rest of my life.

"I'm going to take your silence as a no," I said after a full minute of watching the two of them make fools out of themselves. "Well, since the Headmaster has no desire to protect me should my name come out of the Goblet and Snape can't or won't swear he's never been a Death Eater, I will not be taking back my oath."

Turning my head side to side to smile at Hermione and then Luna, I took both their hands and walked them around the still stunned Headmaster and Potions Prick, excuse me, I mean Potions Master. That's when I felt it, the sensation that someone was stabbing a freezing cold steel spike into my head, or at least the memories inside it. Glancing to the side, I saw Snape had his wand pointed at me. Oddly, I also noticed a second sensation, like a warm and gentle breeze which seemed to fill my head with a desire to relax and just let things go. It was so tempting to do what that gentle breeze wanted, except there was a part of me that was asking why I should relax when I knew for a fact something was wrong, that danger awaited me. I felt Luna and Hermione both squeeze my hands and the spell, or whatever it was, broke and allowed me to see the situation for what it was. Someone invading my mind.

That had to be the first time I ever understood what Snape had been trying to teach me about Occulmency and Legilimency, the knowledge that someone was trying to invade my mind other than Snape. Oh, his methods were easy to remember, just smash your way in and tear the place up till you find what you want. Turning to look Dumbledore right in his twinkling eyes, I just grinned at the old man as I remembered everything I had learned about Occulmency. After that microsecond, considering Snape taught me exactly shite all about it, I fell back on my good old fashioned imagination. I imagined that the steel spike stabbed the warm breeze and that the breeze then set fire to the spike. Amazingly enough, both men suddenly turned chalk white and pulled out of my mind. Dumbledore seemed to recover fairly quickly, but Snape had fallen to his knees and was currently throwing up everything he had eaten in the last month.

"Now, that wasn't polite, was it?" I asked with a smile. "If you have a question, ask it, otherwise stay out of my head or the next time I won't be so polite when I ask you to leave."

"When did you learn Occulmency, Harry?" asked the Headmaster, his eyes worried now.

I jerked my head in Snape's direction, he was still trying to turn himself inside out. "No idea what that is, but I always said Snape could read minds."

"That's Professor Snape, Harry," corrected Dumbledore.

"No, it's Snape till the man earns my respect rather than just demanding it while he acts like a spoiled child who thinks he deserves everything," I countered. "He wanted to know how I know about his past and since I wasn't saying anything, he barged in and tried to take it. You on the other hand, I'm not sure if you were looking for something or just trying to compel me to stop fighting. Two attacks at the same time, it was easy enough to figure out. Did you forget, I can throw off the Imperius Curse, so your little compulsion was nothing by comparison. Then I just imagine both attacks being aimed at each other and there you have it, Snape trying to throw up his shoes and you looking at me as if someone just took away your favorite toy."

"Harry, is that you?" whispered the old man, staring intently into my eyes.

I had to laugh at that one, replying finally, "Of course it's me, Headmaster. Who else would it be, Neville?"

Ignoring the old man and heading to the Gryffindor table with Hermione and Luna holding my hands, I had no idea that conversation was going to come back to haunt me, though I probably should have. I'd barely finished my first helping of eggs and bacon when McGonagall told me I was needed in the Headmaster's office. All I could do was roll my eyes and sigh as I piled some bacon, eggs, and a thick slice of cheese on my toast and followed after the stern old Transfiguration professor. We had barely stepped out of the Great Hall when she started berating me for my disrespect of the Headmaster and Snape, then she started in how disappointed in me she was. Once again, walking through the hallways with students listening in to every insult and jibe she made towards me, I was reminded this was the woman that refused to stand up for me while Umbitch tortured me for a year. I think I finally snapped when I heard her say my parents would be ashamed of me.

"I don't know if my parents would and wouldn't be ashamed of, now would I, McGonagall?" I asked, my voice as cold as ice.

"That will be one night of detention, Mr. Potter, for your lack of respect towards me," she barked, giving me the best glare she could.

"Make it a full year then, McGonagall," I bit back. "I won't serve one of them. I won't serve any detention you set for showing you the respect you deserve. You haven't once shown me one shred of respect on our way here. In case you haven't noticed, we've had a crowd following us since we left the Great Hall, but rather than take our conversation to a private location and treating me with the same respect your demand from me, you've treated me shamefully without even having the full story of what happened in the Great Hall."

Once again I left another teacher sputtering as I walked right past her with a sneer. "You are want me to respect you, why don't you start doing your job and watching over the students of your house and this school rather than being Dumbledore's little lackey? Maybe then I'll show you some respect, till then you're no better than my aunt. Till then, in my eyes, you're no better than Snape."

I kept walking till I was around the corner and out of her sight before I heard McGonagall start yelling after me. By then it was too late as I'd already entered the Headmaster's stairwell and made my way up to his office. Sure, I knew there would be hell to pay, but I was just not in the mood to care at the moment. Luna had summed it up this morning, I was on the fast track to be someone's martyr if I kept letting people walk all over me and forgiving them for it. While it was true that none of the things I was currently blaming the staff of Hogwarts for had happened yet, the behaviors had been there all along. Dumbledore had always behaved as if he was some grandfatherly old man looking out for my best interests, but never once had he done anything to keep me safe other than a vague warning usually too late to do me any good. McGonagall wasn't much better and in fact she was worse, with her claims of loyalty to her students and how your house was your family. Funny, both of those claims had been proven to be false by the end my second year at Hogwarts, what with everyone thinking I was a budding Dark Lord out to kill the Muggle-born in the school. Oh, and let's not forget Snape who has made my life a living hell every chance he's had since the day I first arrived at Hogwarts, he would never change. So, walking into the Headmaster's office and seeing two of my currently least favorite people in front of me with the third behind me, I just knew this would be a long day.

* * *

_AN: Wow, thanks for the reviews!_

_Authors Notes moved to my blog, see my profile for the address._

_Thanks!_

_Chris :)_

* * *

_Correction: 8/11/13_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Bobby Ewing**

* * *

I estimate I'd taken something like half a step through the Headmaster's door when four stunners were cast at me. Two from the front, one from the side, and one from the back. I dodged the two from the front by turning sideways. I avoided the one from the back the same way, though I was pleased to hear Snape and McGonagall drop to the floor as they became the victim of their own ambush. As for the one from the side, a shield charm reflected that one to the roof, dislodging a model of Uranus, which then fell on the impostor Moody, knocking him out before he had a chance to react. Looking up at Dumbledore, I had to chuckle when I noted that for the fourth time in one day I had left one of my teachers stunned. Better yet, about two seconds later Fawkes was perched on my shoulder rubbing his head against mine in a clear sign of affection.

"So, care to explain that attack, Dumbledore?" I asked the old man as I walked the rest of the way across the room, closing the door on McGonagall's unconscious form, and taking a seat in one of the chairs that the teachers normally used.

Quick lesson in Dumbledore's method of manipulation and intimidation. First thing you have to know is that the moment you walk in his door you are at a disadvantage because you are on his home turf. The whole office is designed to make students nervous, from the raised platform Dumbledore sits on to the shocking number of delicate little knick-knacks he has all over the place. Hell, first time I was inside the room I was terrified to move for fear I would break something. Oh, let's not forget the chairs for the students which are shorter than the other chairs in the room, sit at the lowest point in the room, and force the student to look up at the Headmaster the entire time. There are other elements that are unnerving, like all the portraits that of former headmaster and mistresses that stare down at you. I tend to ignore them mainly because they tend to ignore me, though I think that is thanks to Dumbledore telling them to.

None of this was working on me at the moment because I had stepped right up onto the platform where the teachers normally sat and took the most comfortable looking of the chairs. The fact I had Dumbledore's own familiar currently sitting on my lap and glaring at the old man, well that was just icing on the cake. Did I forget to mention that I sat in the one chair in the room that like his Dumbledore's own, allowed me to see the entire room? Trust me, Dumbledore noticed because he looked torn about turning his back on me to revive his two unconscious teachers, eventually just letting them sleep rather than turn a vulnerable back to me.

"Harry, I am most concerned by your actions today," he said while using the most grandfatherly, translate that as fake, smile. "You used one of our greatest names of power for an oath, an oath which by the way I must insist you take back."

"Why?" I asked, petting Fawkes feathers, never once looking away from Dumbledore's eyes. "You haven't once given me a reason for taking back my oath, yet you keep demanding that I do so. Could it be you already think that I have put my name in the Goblet, or that I've had someone else do it for me? Maybe you are fully aware that someone else has already put my name in the Goblet without my knowledge and you're afraid my oath might be affected by that other person's actions? I think that's exactly what you want, for my name to come out of that goblet tonight and for everyone to turn against me, isn't it?"

"W-well of course not, Harry!" sputtered the old man. "I have no doubt that you would not have put your name in the goblet!"

I nodded, then smirked saying, "But you do believe someone has already put my name in the Goblet and you do want me in the competition?"

"No, I do not want you in the competition!"

"Ahh, but we agree that my name is most likely already in the Goblet, so it's too late to stop it," I continued before Dumbledore could say another word. "So, you just want me made an outcast once my name is revealed tonight. I'm not seeing the point of that, unless it's to once again put me in a situation where I have to rely only on a select group of people and my own instincts."

Harry barely caught the Headmaster's flinching, but fortunately he did. "That's it, isn't it? You don't want anyone helping me, just me working by myself to accomplish a task."

Dumbledore had gone pale by this point, probably because I had hit the mark so closely. It could have also been the fact that I was standing up to him for once and he didn't know how to deal with that. Before my return I had always just nodded, let him lead the conversation, accepted any answer he gave me, then left when he was through talking about nothing. That was the theme of every conversation I ever had with the man, I would need answers which he had and he would refuse to give them to me. Thanks to Luna, I wasn't feeling very forgiving right at the moment and while I did not hate him, Dumbledore was not on my list of favorite people at the moment. Truth be told, he currently ranked right under Voldemort for people I was pissed at.

"I don't understand your sudden anger towards me, Harry," Dumbledore finally said, leaning back in his chair and sighing. "What have I done to deserve this treatment, this disrespect? For that matter, what has anyone that was here tonight done to deserve your childish behavior?"

"My childish behavior?" I asked, looking at Fawkes, who looked right back at me, before we both broke into laughter in our own way. It was a minute or two before we were both able to control ourselves again and by then, Dumbledore was not looking happy if the twitching of his eye was any indication. "Even Fawkes, your familiar, knows you are full of shite. You're just upset because I'm standing up for myself and calling you and your so called teachers for failing me and my fellow students."

"How have I and your professors failed you and the other students, Harry?"

Looking back at Fawkes, who looked right back at me, I shrugged and began a detailed listing of every stupid, idiotic, and out right dangerous thing I had ever encountered while at Hogwarts. I listed off detentions in the Forbidden Forest, the names of forty-five students that had snuck into the third floor corridor to tease Fluffy when he had been there, and let's not forget his decision to send Slytherin House into the dungeons AFTER Quirrell had just got done stating that's where the troll was located. I listed every irresponsible thing I had ever heard a teacher do, the ones I had been a party to, and finally the ones that I was guided in to. I blasted him for his lack of response when I was called the Heir of Slytherin. Tore him to pieces for his lack of effort to get Sirius a trial, even thought he's the Grand High Dufus of the Wizengamot and it was well within his powers, then hinted that I had zero respect for a man that was such a coward he had to rely on a child to do what he should have done years ago. He didn't like that bit.

"HOW DARE YOUR!" raged the elderly wizard. "I have fought my whole life for the light! How dare you call me coward!"

"I dare because you've forgotten what it means to get your hands dirty," I said, cutting him off. "You stand in the shadows manipulating us all into doing what you think needs being done, but when was the last time you made a sacrifice rather than asking someone else to do it for you? This tournament is a perfect example. It's a death trap and you know it, but you let it happen anyway, why? Was it to sharpen your weapon just a little more, making sure I was willing to sacrifice anything to win? I still say the majority of your motivation is to separate me from the people around me. My instincts, those things you seem to want to hone and sharpen in me, tell me you want me isolated so that I'll never consider working with a large group, just a few select people. People you approve of, if I'm reading the worried look on your face correctly. You don't want me to figure this out, do you? At least not yet."

Sighing, Dumbledore stood and began pacing the length of his office. Don't think I didn't catch him reviving Snape and Crouch Jr, cause I did. I don't think he caught me stunning Crouch again before the man could take a sip from his flask. I also noticed that McGonagall was now peeking into the room through a crack in the door, her wand pointed right at me. No, Dumbledore was acting as a distraction while at the same time marshaling his forces. I knew he was going to act against me the moment he felt ready, though I wasn't sure just how he would act. My guts told me there was a good chance he would stun me, Obliviate me, and then try to convince me I had to take back my oath. It was a really good plan and I wouldn't put it past him to try it, not at all. Except, I had an out that might help me which suddenly arrived in the form of Hedwig carrying a scroll and one of my Bic ballpoints that I normally kept hidden in my trunk. The Headmaster watched as the owl landed next to Fawkes and I wrote a short note on the parchment before whispering to her where the note was to be delivered.

We watched Hedwig fly out the window, I cast another stunner at Crouch and a banisher at the Headmaster's door to close it while he watched my owl fly off. "She's taking a note to my solicitors." I informed him with a peaceful smile on my face.

"Harry, since when do you have solicitors?" asked Dumbledore, looking worried again.

"Not that long ago," was my instant answer, and it wasn't a lie considering they had only been my solicitors since at most the night before. "I have this feeling Voldemort will return soon and that when he does, no one is going to do anything about it. I want to believe those feeling are wrong, but then I look around at all of you and I know I'm right. None of you will do anything when he returns. Oh, you say you're working hard to protect this thing or that person, but at the end of it all I'll be the one that has to step in and do something about it, about him. Because really, what other choice do I have? He just keeps coming after me and you won't tell me why? He's out to kill me and you and I both know it, but you do nothing to make sure I can survive."

I stopped for a moment, having an epiphany of sorts after voicing my fears for the past few years, added to what Luna had said about being a martyr. "That's it's, isn't it, Dumbledore. I'm not supposed to survive, am I?"

Albus Dumbledore suddenly turning chalk white and dropping his wand was a pretty good indication I was right, so I kept going. "It's the prophecy in the Department of Mysteries, isn't it?"

"How do you know about that?" Asked Dumbledore, looking afraid now slowly kneeling and feeling around for his wand without ever taking his eyes off me. "There is no way you could know about that."

I snorted, looking at him with a sneer. "I sure didn't learn about it from you, now did I? As for how I learned about it, let's just say that's my little secret and leave it at that, shall we?"

Once again I felt Snape's steel spike punch into my memories, only this time I imagined what it felt like to be hit with Voldemort's Cruciatus in the cemetery. Instantly the spike was gone and Snape was screaming on the ground, at least for a second before he voided his bowels all over the Headmaster's carpet. Dumbledore tried it next and so I used the same image on him with similar results. While the two of them were busy shitting themselves, I walked over and picked up Dumbledore's wand. I've always thought his wand, on the few times I've seen him use it, looked about as old as him. Picking it up I felt the sudden warm rush of magic similar to what I felt the first time I picked up my Holly and Phoenix feather wand, only this was much stronger. I cast a quick Scorgify on both men, a stunner on Snape and Crouch, then levitated Dumbledore back over to his chair. I was about to hand him his wand back when he held up his hand to stop me.

"I don't know what's going on with you right now, Harry," he whispered sadly. "I fear for you and what you are going to become, but you have defeated me and that wand now belongs to you. For better or worse, you are now its master."

I nodded, not really understanding, but Dumbledore continued before I could ask anything. "Yes, there is a prophecy about you and Tom. I was going to wait until you were older to tell you about it, but you already seem to know more than you should. I fear your connection to Tom is growing stronger and it is influencing you, drawing you away from the path you must walk if Tom is ever to be truly defeated."

"Blah-blah-blah," I said after he rambled for a bit. "I almost thought you were going to tell me something useful there for a moment, but you just confirmed what I already knew. Same as always, isn't it? I ask for answers or help and you just give me a foolish riddle."

"You're too young to understand what's needed, Harry," objected Dumbledore.

I scoffed, walking away from his desk and towards the door. "You keep saying that, but obviously it's a lie. See, if I was really too young I wouldn't be asking the questions. The fact I'm asking means I'm old enough to hear the answers."

"You just don't understand," mumbled Dumbledore, just now noticing that Fawkes was still on my shoulder as I opened the door and let McGonagall stumble into the room. "Sacrifices are asked of us all, Harry. We all must make them."

"Problem is, Dumbledore, recently I see you asking sacrifices of everyone else," I countered. "When do you make your sacrifice for the coming war? After I'm dead, or will you be the one to kill me? It really doesn't matter anymore, not really. Whatever trust and respect I had for you was used up the moment you had 'Moody' over there attack me."

I pointed over to the unconscious body of Barty Crouch Jr, who was in the process of changing back even as I spoke. "My instincts told me something was wrong with him and it turns out I'm right. Looks like he's not who he claims to be, though I don't know if he's one of yours or one of Voldemort's. Either way, my guess is he's the one that put my name in the Goblet."

Dumbledore and McGonagall were staring at the now fully revealed Crouch Jr, not even bothering to look at me as I spoke. "I guess that oath wasn't such a bad idea after all, not that you'll admit it. Still, if I see him down in the Great Hall tonight, I'll know he was here with your full knowledge, meaning you want me in this competition. Thing is, I wonder if this is when you want me to die, or just another life threatening situation to sharpen the weapon."

With that I stepped out of the Headmaster's office, letting out a long sigh as I descended the stairs. I knew how lucky I had just gotten because it was clear that they could have taken me at any time if I hadn't kept them wondering how I know the things I know. It wasn't a tactic that would work again, but hopefully after tonight Gabe and Mike would have a solution for me. Stepping out into the hallway I was immediately tackled by two extremely worried witches and I was really grateful I even remembered who the hell they were after everything that just happened.

"Did you get in loads of trouble, Harry?" asked Hermione. "Everyone is talking about the things you were saying to Professor McGonagall. You really shouldn't talk to a professor like that, Harry!"

"Unless they deserve it," added Luna with an impish grin on her face, the type that always seemed to drive Hermione crazy. "Anyway, I made you another breakfast sandwich if you're still hungry?"

Hermione was glaring at the both of us, but I was focused on Hedwig as she flew down the hallway towards us. I could see she had another scroll from Mike and Gabe, the parchment looked too good to be from anyone else. She dropped the scroll before landing on my shoulder, earning herself a piece of bacon courtesy of Luna and the sandwich she had brought for me. At least she said it was for me but considering it was just bacon and I always put an egg on my sandwiches, so I was guessing she suspected this was going to happen.

"Somedays I think you like her more than me," I groused to Hedwig as I opened the scroll and started to read.

_"Harry,_

_We hope you enjoyed your morning, Harry. Sadly, Mike and I were forced to step in several times to make sure you didn't end the day with your brains oozing out your ears. Even as you read this we are in the process of modifying the memories of the esteemed Headmaster and his cohorts. They will remember that they had words with you, voicing their concerns about your choice of wording with your oath and nothing more. _

_Unfortunately Barty Crouch Jr will still be filling the role of Alastor Moody for a little while longer, mainly because without him your knowledge of the things to come will be useless. So, don't take it as a slight against you or a confirmation of the scheme against you. Well, further confirmation._

_You did really good in there putting the pieces together and while Mike is all for telling you everything right now, I think between you and your ladies, you'll figure it all out soon enough. To that end we've arranged for you and your ladies to be excused from today's classes due to emotional strain. Considering your performance today, I think everyone will agree that you needed a bit of a rest. We recommend you use this time to bring Hermione up to speed. Use the RoR since no one knows about it currently._

_We'll have a few surprises for you tonight when we show up in our role as the Potter Solicitors. Of course you've only put us on retainer over the sumer via owl post once you reached the Burrow, but we're working for you and that's all that matters. _

_That out of the way, show this to your Ladies and then off you go._

_See you tonight. _

_M & G_

_PS. The Headmaster's wand is still your and he will remember losing it to you during a DADA class when you disarmed him with an Expeliarmus."_

"Well, that stinks," I growled as I finished reading the letter and handed it to Luna and Hermione, taking off to lead them to the Room of Requirements. "Yeah, the whole having your brain ooze out your nose part is bad, but I would have loved to have them remember about Crouch."

Luna mumbled something that sounded like "bloody Bobby Ewing," but could have been "bloody confusing." Either way, I just let her and Hermione read as I kept walking and thinking about everything that had happened so far since last night. It was so confusing sometimes and it scared me, I won't lie, it did. I just wanted to run away, but then I would be forced to leave my friends and that wasn't going to help anyone. No, I was stuck for now and with only a limited time to come up with a plan before Voldemort's return, things were not looking good. Thankfully I was pulled from my darkening thoughts by something bumping into my head and realized Fawkes was still perched on my shoulder.

Fawkes let out a sad little note as I walked. "You sticking with me for now, or do you need to head back to the Headmaster's office?"

I watched as Fawkes shrugged before resting his head against mine. I took that as a sign he was sticking around for a little while and figured the more the merrier. Hedwig finished her bacon before rubbing up against my face and then taking off back to the owlery. I'm not kidding when I say I think she really only likes me for my bacon, but she's female and they are allowed to be fickle occasionally. I was busy being moody as we walked, so barely noticed when the girl's finally finished reading the note and each took one of my hands in their own. I wasn't in the mood to talk yet, so we walked in silence until we reached the seventh floor corridor and the secret entrance to the Room of Requirements. By this point I could tell Hermione had nearly reached the point where her head would explode if I didn't start explaining things soon and with a door suddenly appearing in the middle of a solid wall, I think she was ready to hurt me.

I had requested a room that would be comfortable to talk in, so it came as little surprise when stepping inside revealed a room that was a cross between the Gryffindor Common room and the Library. I led the girls inside, walking over to a very large and extremely over stuffed chair and flopped down. There were three other large chairs, all arranged in front of an immense stone fireplace with a cheery little fire going. Hermione took the chair on my right, but Luna just plopped down in my lap and hugged me for dear life. This of course got Hermione's blood boiling, at least it looked like it had from the size of the vein popping out in her forehead.

"You know, Harry's lap and this chair are big enough for you to join us," pointed out Luna, which had Hermione nearly growling at us, though with a hint of a blush.

"No, I think I would rather hear about Harry's little secret and why he has solicitors who have the ability to modify the memories of the Headmaster," growled Hermione, glaring at me for all she was worth.

She actually looks really cute when she glares like that. Something about the way her eyes seem to light up with all her emotions when she looks at me like that has always made my heart beat just a little faster. Yeah, I know, it made other things pound once my hormones started to kick in at the beginning of the summer, well the summer between my third and fourth year. It makes my head ache trying to remember that I'm back in time and the fact that my body feels so strange to me doesn't help matters. Considering how much Luna was currently wiggling around on my lap in an attempt to get comfortable, I was pretty sure my hormones were raging in full force through my bloodstream at the moment. Unfortunately, Hermione needed answers and no matter how cute she looked with her little glare I was the only one that could give them to her. So, after asking Dobby to bring us all tea with a side of bacon and water for Fawkes, I began explaining my story.

We entered the RoR at around ten AM, but we would not leave it until closer to six PM that night. I told them both everything, starting with how things had originally gone when my name came out of the Goblet and ending with me jumping though the Veil. The girls were crying through much of my tale, though a few times I did get slaps or hugs depending on the situation. Hermione did end up joining Luna on my lap after about an hour. Luckily, Luna cast a weight reduction spell without Hermione noticing, so my legs didn't go numb. With both girls curled up in my arms, I told them about what I had learned that morning after confronting Dumbledore. I told them about my suspicions that he expected me to die, so why train me. Then I told them about figuring out how to fight off a Legilimency attack to which both of them wanted details. It was an emotionally draining experience and the knowledge that the day still had things to throw at us did not help us in the least. Luna finally suggested a short nap before the evening meal and the big reveal, which lead to the three of us asleep in that chair until Dobby came to wake us.

It didn't take long for us to make our way down to the Great Hall, not when I know most of the secret passages in the school by heart. Originally Luna was going to go sit with her housemates, but I was having none of that and informed her quite bluntly that tonight I needed her at my side, just like I needed Hermione. She had a brilliant smile on her face, only matched by Hermione's blush when I told them I would not be taking no for an answer. So, with both their hands in mine, I led the two of them over to the end of the Gryffindor table the farthest from where the Goblet of Fire was now sitting. Yeah, it was going to make the walk of shame a little longer, but I'd be damned before I got too close to that bloody thing. I was just about to sit down when I felt two tugs on the back of my robes.

Turning around I didn't see anything at first, at least until I looked down. Standing in front of me were two of the cutest little girls I had ever seen. One of them I instantly recognized as Gabrielle Delacour. She was adorable with her hair back in two pigtails and a smile so wide it almost literally went from ear to ear, revealing one missing front tooth. Next to her, well I didn't recognize this little angel at all, but I would have had to say she was closely related to Gabrielle considering they could have been sisters, or at least cousins. She had the same complexion as Gabrielle, though her eyes were a darker blue and her hair was more like gold than platinum. Still, she had the same smile and oddly enough, the same missing front tooth. All in all, they were the epitome of cuteness in their little Beauxbatons uniforms and I just could not resist kneeling down to speak with them.

"And who might you ladies be?" I asked before remember that at this point I didn't know if Gabrielle even spoke anything other than French.

"She is Gabrielle and I am Aimee," said second girl in heavily accented English. "Are you really a Chevalier?

"Knight," supplied Luna from behind me.

I shook my head with a sad smile on my face, saying, "No, I'm just Harry."

Aimee said something in rapid fire French to Gabrielle that had them both sighing before Gabrielle suddenly lunged forward and hugged me as tightly as she could, whispering in my ear, "_Vous êtes mon chevalier!(1)_"

I only have the most basic of understanding when it comes to the French language, mostly learned in primary school. There was never a push in the Dursley household to improve yourself, unless you count them wanting me to learn how to cook new dishes for them. Other than that, I was never really pushed to better myself in school. Honestly, my aunt and uncle would have been horrified to learn that I consistently had better grades than Dudley, but since they never checked my report cards, it wasn't really an issue. I just had my second year of French lessons in school before coming to Hogwarts and prior to the Triwizard Tournament it never occurred to me to keep up with learning the language. Even after the Tournament I never considered continuing to learn French, but now as I sat there looking at Gabrielle and Aimee standing in front of me, I had a feeling this was another of those things I needed change.

Yeah, looking down into a pair of the most trusting blue eyes I had ever seen, I knew I needed to be better this time around.

I'm okay with that.

* * *

(1) You are my knight!

* * *

AN:

For those of you who read the title of the chapter and went, we better not find out this was all a dream, it wasn't. I wanted to jump the shark with this chapter, but then have reality set in and for Harry to be reminded that changing things for the better does not mean that he can run roughshod all over everyone. I set the tone from the first line of the chapter, he was in danger of being attacked because Dumbledore feared he was being taken over by Voldemort. Is it, of course not, but can you blame an old man for being scared? The only reason Harry walked out of there in one piece is because someone was watching out for him. He's not Superman and he's not bulletproof, that's another story, so we just have to be patient and let him get where he is going at a more normal pace. Yes, this is a knock at those people that make Harry a godlike force of nature halfway through the second chapter. Not happening here.

A few notes, you met girl number three this chapter. No more girls will be added. Yes, she's the very same Zoe from Lost Summer. Don't like, don't read.

When has the student body of Hogwarts ever really stood up for Harry's rights, so why would they care what Dumbledore or Snape do to him?

No, I didn't ask her to marry me, her husband might have objected.

You know, I keep thinking of doing a Daphne Greengrass and Harry story, I just haven't really had anything pop out at me yet, but I'm thinking of it. As for Fleur and Tonks, yeah, if and when I think of something, I'll let you know.

Someone actually hit the nail on the head, I mean spot on, of how I envision Mike and Gabe.

"I can easily picture Gabe in a New Orleans or Chicago jazz bar, blowin' on his amazing horn.

Mike I see doing a road trip across America wearing a trench coat, smoking cigarettes and entering a head-butt competition with a bull after shouting CHALLENGE! (1996 movie reference)

Their boss, of course, would be Alanis Morissette. (1999 movie reference)"

You got it in one. :)

As for the girls, I will tell you this now, I do not see the standard actresses for any of them, but I will tell you some other time who I see playing these parts.

Anyway, this got to bloody long, so go review and I'll post again soon.

Chris :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: What Did I Just Say?**

* * *

Little know fact about Veela, they are stronger than you might think just to look at them. So, after prying Gabrielle's deceptively weak looking arms from around my neck I took a long breath of fresh air. Leaning back and looking at the two smiling girls in front of me, I noticed something that I had never paid attention to before. Maybe it was my very recent experience with people trying to get into my mind, or maybe it was the close proximity of an excited Gabrielle, but suddenly I could almost hear a whisper in the back of my mind as I looked in her eyes. I glanced at Aimee and realized I was getting the same feeling from her, so I guessed she was Veela as well which surprised me a bit considering I had never known there were more Veela in the school during the tournament. Then again I did have a lot on my mind that year, so it's not surprising I missed something like that.

Back on topic, I could hear whispers in the back of my mind, I recognized the voices as belonging to the girls. The one that belonged to Gabrielle kept repeating, "protect me and keep me safe." Aimee's whisper was a bit different in that it kept saying, "please, don't hurt me." It took me a moment to figure out it was their natural Veela Allure trying to protect them by instilling a desire to protect them in the people, mostly men, around them. I looked up just in time to see Fleur and the lovely girl from earlier rushing at me with looks of concern on their faces. As they approached I started hearing their Allures calling out to me. Fleur's was the easiest to recognize as I had been around her enough times, even if I had never paid this much attention to it before. It cried out, "admire me, don't hurt me, don't hurt her!" The other girl, who I noticed was even better looking than Fleur now that she was standing up and running towards me, her Allure was screaming for me to "obey and do no harm." For a moment I wanted to do exactly what they told me to do, then I blinked mentally and felt the Allure fade away.

"Wow, that is impressive," I said looking at Aimee and Gabrielle with a smile, just as the two older Veela arrived and started really pouring on the Allure. I could feel it trying to get to me, but it was like water off a Grindylow's back. "Is your Allure naturally a defensive thing, or is that just an added bonus? Don't worry, I'd never hurt kids, especially these two cuties."

In a continuance of my day long streak, I left the two older Veela completely stunned, so I temporarily ignored them as I stood up and held my hands out to Aimee and Gabrielle. "You two hungry? Care to join me, you can even bring your friends here."

"She's not my friend," Aimee instantly replied, jerking her head in the direction of the unnamed Vella. "She's my sister."

There was a round of snickers from the people within earshot, including Luna and Hermione, as Aimee grabbed my hand along with Gabrielle. "I see. I'll tell you a secret. My family members are not my friends either, but my friends are my family. Maybe if you try to get to know her better, you'll become friends as well as sisters?"

Aimee glanced up at her sister, who was looking a little hopefully back at the younger girl as Aimee considered what I had said. "I would like zat, but she is always telling me what to do."

"Yes, that can be a problem," I agreed, leading the two young girls to Gryffindor table. Hermione and Luna were following me, with the older French girls on either side of them. "I find that sometimes I need people to tell me what to do, but I prefer it when they explain why I must do it first. I hate it when they just expect me to follow their commands blindly."

Out of my peripheral vision I saw Dumbledore, he had entered the Hall just a few moments before, cringe as I said that. "Next time she orders you to do something, ask her to explain it to you and then you can decide if it is a good thing to do or not. Does that make sense?"

"Oui!" agreed Aimee with a blinding smile, squeezing my hand for all it was worth.

I sat down a the far end of the table, Gabrielle and Aimee on either side, Fleur and Aimee's sister sitting next to their respective siblings. Across from me sat Hermione and Luna, leaving a seat on the very end of the table for Ron if he ever showed up. Gabrielle had evidently asked Fleur to translate what I had been saying to Aimee and after a few moments the little Veela looked at me and nodded, also agreeing with what I had said. I would just like to point out that while all of this was going on I was receiving some of the most envy filled glares from the men in the room that I had ever seen. Granted I had two small children sitting on either side of me, but I still had four of the most beautiful girls in the school surrounding me. The only thing that was going to make the meal perfect was finding out the name of Aimee's sister.

"I'd kill for a translation spell right about now," I grumbled, earning myself a few giggles from the ladies around me.

"Well just as soon as you figure out how to make one that works with every language, you can have one," Hermione replied with a smirk. "Till then, you'll have to work for what you want."

Sticking my tongue out at Hermione for a moment, I turned back to Aimee's sister and gave her my best crooked grin, earning myself a slight blush from the girl. "Since no one has had the decency to invent a language translating spell at this time, I hope you can forgive me for not asking this in your native language, but might I know the name of one of the most beautiful young ladies I have ever met."

"One of?" she asked, one delicate brow arched and her lightly accented voice making me think of angels singing. "I wonder who you might be comparing me to?"

Looking at her with a smirk, I waved my hand around us at the other young women sitting there. "In case you hadn't noticed, we have some very lovely company at the moment."

"Thank you Harry," Hermione and Luna said together, with Aimee and Fleur blushing and Gabrielle blushing as soon as Fleur translated my comment.

"Point," she admitted with a nod of her head. "Very well, my name is Zoe Poisson, and you've already met Aimee, my sister."

I smiled at her, then turned to look at Fleur who just rolled her eyes before saying, "I am Fleur Delacour. I am Gabrielle's sister, zough I zink she forgets about me for now."

Nodding, I introduced myself, though I doubt it was really necessary. We started eating and I asked again about the Allure, shocking the girls until I pointed out that I was somewhat immune to it. In an attempt to be as honest as possible I told them that I had been exposed to the Allure at the World Cup where I had not done a very good job of fighting it off, but that recently I had discovered the ability to shake off the Imperious and other forms of mind control. The French witches were rather displeased to find out I had been exposed to such a dark curse, but I waved it off as good training for later in life. Eventually we got back to my original question about the Allure.

"Ze older a Veela becomes, ze more zey can control eet," Fleur explained as she daintily tore apart a roasted chicken breast.

"'Owever as a child it normally just instills a desire to protect ze child," Zoe continued. "It is different for each of us, but zat is the general idea."

Hermione was slowly picking apart a salad as she listened, finally asking, "So, it's a defense mechanism, not a tool for seduction as some claim?"

"Exactly!" confirmed Fleur. "Zat is not to say eet can not be used so, but only zose Veela zat 'ave reached maturity can use it so."

"In other words, it's not **just** for seduction," clarified Luna with a giggle.

I nodded and looked around at the smiling faces around me and noticed that Ron was standing a few feet away with the most vapid smile on his face I had ever seen. I followed his line of sight and realized he was happily admiring Zoe's rather ample chest. Hermione noticed what I was doing and turned to look at Ron, sighing rather loudly as she grabbed a roll and threw it at his head. In a rather impressive feat of gastronomical dexterity, Ron not only managed to catch the roll with his mouth, but swallowed it whole. The really impressive part was he never took his eyes off Zoe's chest until Hermione stood up and pulled him over to the table.

"I don't know if I should be impressed or disgusted," I said as Ron sat down at the end of the table, never looking back up from his plate.

"Disgusted," replied all the girls at once, causing Ron's ears to turn red.

I snorted at the reply from the girls before looking over again at Ron. "About time you joined us. Where were you, it's not like you to be late for a meal."

"Dumbledore stopped me on my way down," explained Ron as he loaded a plate up with food, still not looking up. "He was asking about where you might have learned about ancient oaths and stuff like that. I told him the truth that I didn't know what he was talking about and that if anyone had helped you with something like that it would have been Hermione."

"Did he tell you what I swore the oath about?" I asked, noticing the girls turn away as Ron started to shove food into his mouth. "Did he tell you that I swore an oath that I would not enter the Tournament under any circumstances and that he wanted me to take that oath back without telling me why?"

Okay, have you ever seen a small child caught with their hand in the biscuit tin? Their eyes go big, mouth goes slack, and you can see their brain just freeze up as they try to think of something to say that will get them out of trouble. Well, that's what Ron looked like the moment he looked up at me to answer. I'm not sure if it was Zoe to my left, or Fleur to my right, but suddenly he just stopped and I could watch as his common sense drained out of his head. Four young women and two small girls just sighed as Ron started to drool. I debated on helping him, but honestly I just wanted to see how badly Ron was going to mess this one up.

"So, Ron, I would like to introduce you to some new friends of mine," I said, watching as Ron's brain seemed to try and engage, but failed.

"Wubba?" he asked, looking like Dudley after getting his hands on really good weed.

While Hermione was trying to correct Ron's behavior by repeatedly beating him around the head and neck, Aimee pulled my head down so she could whisper in my ear. "'E's just like ze other silly boys zat always follow my sister and Fleur around. Zey are going to play wiz 'im, just watch."

I glanced at Fleur and then Aimee, who both had the most angelic smiles on their faces and devilish glints in their eyes. I knew what was coming, there was nothing that was going to stop it, but Ron was a friend even if he did have issues with jealousy from time to time. I debated it for a moment, whether to leave him to the tender mercies of two mature veela, or if I should save him before they shredded him to pieces. I knew there was a good chance by the end of the night that Ron might be having an attack of foot in mouth disease, but that hadn't happened yet and I'd already vented my spleen on enough people today. That being the case, I reached past the small girls at my side and laid my hands on Aimee and Fleur's shoulders.

"Please, let me try to bring him to his senses first?" I pleaded. "If that fails, he's all yours and I won't stop you."

The two young women seemed to debate it for a moment, but eventually they both nodded. Taking the opportunity to try and save my first real friend, I tossed a chicken leg at him, which he caught in his teeth before tearing into it. I watched all the girls try to pull away from him as he started to devour anything edible in front of him. Sometimes I wonder if you covered his own hand in condiments while he was half asleep if he would be gnawing on bones before the pain kicked in. There is a dark part of me that wants to test that theory, but thankfully I've never really been angry enough at him to try it. Yet.

"Ron, did you want to play some chess later?" I asked, trying to get his mind focused on something I knew he loved.

I thought he was going to snap out of it right up until the moment he started speaking with that glazed looking in his eyes. "Chest? Yeah, we can do that later. Legs hurry, cause if tit gets too late, Hermione will nipple us till we twat to strangle ourselves. Wank?"

The scary thing was, I don't think he even realized what he was saying, but I'd given my word. "He's all yours, ladies."

The next ten minutes had Zoe convincing Ron that if he acted like a monkey she would like him better. Fleur on the other hand suggested that if he stuffed rolls down his pants it would make him look manlier. I just sighed and continued talking with the rest of my little dinner group. Eventually Fleur and Zoe got bored and suggested a silent man was a sexy man, which shut Ron up instantly. Meanwhile, dessert had been served and Gabrielle and Aimee were attempting to eat as much chocolate pudding as they possibly could. The rest of us were just getting nervous, casting glances up at the front of the room and hoping that tonight was going to be better than we feared it would be. Fleur and Zoe eventually made their way over to where the rest of the Beauxbatons students were sitting, leaving Gabrielle and Aimee with me and the girls. Considering both small girls were currently sitting on my lap with Luna and Hermione now sitting at my side, I felt a little better, but not much.

Eventually it was time and Dumbledore stepped up to the Goblet of Fire, making his little speech. I closed my eyes, knowing what was to come, so not paying attention to the actual words this time around. I focused on the feeling of the two little girls on my lap and the two young women leaning up against me on either side. The girls cheered at one point, telling me that Fleur's name had just come out of the Goblet. Cedric's name would be next, the equivalent of a death warrant for the popular Hufflepuff boy. I wondered if I would be able to save him this time, but at this point I felt I would be lucky to make it myself let alone save hime. Dumbledore was talking again, not that I cared, but it meant my time had come. I listened as he suddenly fell silent along with the rest of the Great Hall. I knew what was coming next.

"Harry Potter!"

My eyes snapped open the moment he said it and every eye in the Hall was now focused on me, but it was Aimee who they were listening to. "But, 'Arry, you gave an Oath that you would not enter and wouldn't have anyone enter for you, didn't you?"

"From the mouths of babes," I thought to my self, nodding with a smile before responding. "I did, but someone must have felt I should be in the contest whether I wanted to be or not."

"CHEAT!" someone shouted from the crowd.

"OATH BREAKER!" someone else shouted.

Calmly I set Gabrielle on Hermione's lap then place Aimee on Luna's before I stood up and drew my wand, my old wand and not the Headmaster's former wand. My proof that I had not broken my oath and therefore lost my magic came in the form of a shield that protected me from a large dollop of mashed potatoes that someone flung at me. I'm not sure what surprised people more, that someone threw food at me, or that I still had my magic. Whatever the case, I then cast a simple levitation charm on a bowl of pudding and guided it from the Hufflepuff table over to my own, setting it down as gently as I could with shaking hands. Having shown proof that I still had my magic I looked around the student body with my head held high.

"As you can see, I still have my magic," I said in a cold and calm voice. "Obviously I did not break my oath, so it stands to reason that I didn't enter my name or have someone else do it for me."

"Harry!" barked the Headmaster. "This is not the time nor place for this conversation, come now!"

"My relatives may have treated me worse than a dog, Headmaster, but that does not give you the right to order me around like one!" I shouted, standing my ground as he gawped at me. "I personally think this is exactly the time and place for this conversation. Someone called me oath breaker, which I obviously am not. So, as I have been slandered, what are you going to do about it, Headmaster?"

"We would like to know that as well, Headmaster Dumbledore," said a voice from the entrance to the Great Hall.

I turned around and got a chuckle at the sight of Mike and Gabe standing there. Gabe looked like the stereotypical lawyer that could be seen on the television most nights of the week. I've got to say, Gabe really knew how to make an impression with his cream colored three piece suit, white shirt and red baby blue tie. In his left hand was a leather briefcase, while in his right he carried a white fedora with a baby blue band. At his side stood Mike, who I noticed was about a head shorter than Gabe, looked like a banker in his black suit coat and black bowler hat. The image was only ruined by the fact that Mike's suit coat was obviously several sizes too small and he was about to rip right out of it the moment he moved.

"Who are you and how did you get in here?" demanded Dumbledore, glaring at the two men.

"Yes, we've got to follow the rules," growled Mike, stepping over to stand at my side as Gabe did the same at my other side. "Name is Michael de Archangel, solicitor and security advisor for Harry Potter. This lanky git is my partner and brother, Gabriel de Archangel, solicitor and financial advisor for Harry Potter. As for how we got in here, we walked up from the front gate, which is currently wide open."

Dumbledore was glaring at me by this point, "Since when do you have lawyers, Harry?"

"Since this summer when I realized that the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot had no intention what-so-ever to see my innocent Godfather received a trial in which he could testify under the effects of Veritaserum that he is indeed not guilty of the crimes he has been wrongfully incarcerated for," I said as calmly as I could, rather glad I remembered at least something from hearing those police shows Dudley used to watch while I was locked in my cupboard. "As it is well within your power under both titles to do exactly that and you had not done so, I figured I might want to start taking steps to see justice served despite your reluctance to do the same."

Yep, there was the warm breeze again followed by the steel spike. I just glanced at Gabe who sighed and nodded. I turned back and pushed the memory of the Cruciatus forward again, only this time didn't stop after a few seconds. I watched Snape hit the ground like a like a lump of wet clay, where he proceeded to evacuate his bowels with such force that his robes billowed from the force of it. A second later and Dumbledore followed suit, only he added regurgitation to the show. Both of them were passed out within seconds, at which point I dropped the image from my mind.

"That's one nasty defense to illegal Legilimency probes you've got there, Potter," growled Mike with a smile. "I'll draw up the papers charging them with illegal use of a regulated mind art and get the Aurors to serve them later."

McGonagall was trying to clean Dumbledore up, but not having a lot of luck considering each time she did he just fouled himself again. Snape wasn't much better off, but no one was trying to clean him up. The other surprise was Crouch Jr who currently looked like he wanted to run away. Considering I had just dropped Riddle's worst enemy, next to me, and one of his most trusted lieutenants without even touching my wand, I think he had reason to be scared. Not that he really mattered at that moment in time. No, I needed to prove my innocence, and only one thing was going to do that, so I drew my wand again.

"Adonai!

I, Harry James Potter, last scion of House Potter, swear on my life and magic that I did not enter this competition. I also swear that unless forced to do so, I will not compete.

Should I break this oath to You, may my life and magic be stripped from me.

Should I keep faith with You, I ask for Your favor and pray for Your guidance.

In Your name, Adonai, so mote it be!"

For the second time today I heard the Great Hall explode as I finished my oath. Mike and Gabe were smiling at me, laying their hands on my shoulders to show their support. It felt good for once to have adults, other than Sirius, that supported me. As I cast another levitation charm, moving the pudding bowl back to the Hufflepuff table and as I was obviously still alive, no one with half a brain would be able to say I had cheated to get into the competition. I slowly looked around the Great Hall looking for anyone that would look me in the eye, but no one would, not even Ron. Whether out of shame that they had believed I was an oath breaker, or because of what I had done to Dumbledore was anyone's guess. What it really boiled down to was that I could see this year was going to be a repeat of the one I had already lived.

"Let's go you two," I finally said to Mike and Gabe. "They will either believe me or they won't. It doesn't matter to me anymore, they don't matter to me anymore. I know the people I care about will know the truth and that's all I care about."

"Very true, young Harry," agreed Gabe with a smile as we started walking towards the little side room where the champions were waiting.

I had almost reached the Head table when Zoe rushed up to me and much to my surprise, hugged me and kissed my cheek before saying rather loudly, "I believe you, 'Arry!"

Needless to say, after being kissed by a really attractive French Veela, I was floating on clouds when I joined the other champions. Fleur looked shocked when I entered the room and I could see the look in her eyes asking me if I had really been chosen to be a champion. I could only nod and watch as a single tear suddenly rolled down her cheek. The other's were asking all sorts of questions, mainly whether I was there to collect them and who were the men with me. After ten minutes of this, Dumbledore finally joined us looking a bit haggard and very pissed off. He instantly started in on me about whether I had entered my name in the Goblet, to which I pointed out the oath I had taken that morning and the one I had just made minutes before. I then pulled out my wand and cast a simple transfiguration spell to transfigure dust into roses, handing the dark pink roses I had made to a blushing Fleur.

"A beautiful flower, for a beautiful flower," I whispered with a crooked grin that instantly got a blush out of Fleur.

"Obviously, for those of us that have lost the plot here," I growled looking at Dumbledore with a less than respectful scowl on my face, "I have not violated the oath I took this morning that said I wouldn't enter the Tournament, because if I had I wouldn't be able to do magic, now would I? As I can, then obviously someone else put my name in the Cup. Anyone insinuating anything else is an idiot!"

This seemed to shut Dumbledore up for the moment, but it set off the other Headmasters. Madame Maxine of Beauxbatons along with Igor Karkaroff of Durmstrang immediately demanded that the Goblet be relit so they might have an extra champion selected. The tension in the room could have been cut with Gryffindor's sword, and quickly escalated into threats of leaving and abandoning the Tournament. This idea was quickly quashed by Barty Crouch Sr, who went on to state that anyone who's name came out of the Goblet was bound to compete in the event. That effectively meant that while Beauxbatons and Durmstrang could leave at any time, their champions could not. At least that was what Crouch Sr was saying until Gabe cut him off.

"No, that is not correct," stated Gabe with a smile as he pulled out a rather thick book from his jacket pocket. "Luckily I overheard someone talking at the Three Broomsticks about the upcoming competition and immediately rushed to the Ministry to get a copy of the rules concerning it. As Harry has warned us several times, he has no need to go looking for danger as it seems to be able to find him easily enough. With that in mind, I researched the rules of the Triwizard Tournament quiet closely."

Crouch and Bagman were looking nervous now, as was the fake Moody and Dumbledore as Gabe opened the book to a previously marked page and began to read. "It states here that a competitor in the Triwizard Tournament, while indeed bound to the competition by a magical contract, may decline to participate should they deem the task to be too dangerous for them to be capable of completing it and live. An example is given of the third Triwizard Tournament when the first task was for the three competitors to defeat a salamander that was currently lodging in an active volcano. After the first two competitors were burned alive within seconds when their flame freezing spells failed due to the incredible heat, the third competitor spit on the judges and walked away from the task. While the rules are unclear whether spitting on the judges is required, every instance of a competitor withdrawing has included the act as a tradition, if nothing else. Out of thirty-two examples it is shown that the only repercussion that the withdrawing competitor suffers is they are unable to enter into any other magical contracts of engage in any magical rituals until such time as the Triwizard Tournament is declared closed by the panel of judges."

I heard that last bit and didn't know if I should be happy or pissed by that news. If I had known all of this before I would have dropped out and Voldemort would never have been able to use my blood in that damed ritual of his. Once again, it seemed like Dumbledore was trying to insure I was at the right place at the right time, at least for Voldemort. However now with this information, I could withdraw anytime I saw fit and Voldemort would be in a bad way. Now that was some good news for me.

"Uhhhhh..." Was Bagman's intelligent reply, while Crouch looked furious that someone knew more about the rules than he did. "Barty told me that the kiddies lost their magic if they didn't compete."

"That's bloody stupid," growled Mike. "They're kids, not gladiators in ancient Rome. That whole death for entertainment thing, it's rubbish and illegal to boot. Just like the Triwizard Tournament should be. I don't know who had the bright idea to bring this death trap back from the pits where it belonged, but they need to pull their heads from their arses. This is not a game for wee kiddies and never has been. What good does fame and glory do your family when you're a burnt corpse laying in a field for the spectators to gawk at."

Dumbledore tired to interrupt, but Mike was on a roll and kept right on speaking. "Little girl, you think your parents would trade their beloved daughter for just enough gold to bury you with once your body was returned to them? How about you, quidditch star? Your fans going to love you when you can't fly anymore because a stray spell lopped your legs off? What say you, pretty boy? How will your girlfriend feel about seeing you laid to rest even though you managed to win? No, this isn't a game and it never was. This is a meat grinder the pureblood aristocracy used to entertain themselves back in the dark ages, sacrificing the muggleborn and half-bloods for their amusement."

"That's not true!" bellowed Dumbledore. "This game was started as a peaceful way of bringing the three major magical schools of Europe together!"

"Then maybe they should have invited the three major schools," countered Gabe. "Contrary to your revisionist history, neither Durmstrang nor Hogwarts were considered more than backwater dumping ground for the children of your county's pureblood leaders. No, the Vatican's School of Enlightenment, Gibraltar's College of the Arcane, and the Keep in Ireland were the top magical schools at that time with each of them being at least two hundred years older than your schools. Salazar Slytherin attended the School of Enlightenment while Godric Gryffindor attended the Keep. Rowena and Helga both attended the College of the Arcane. It was even long rumored that Merlin himself attended the Keep before he finished his education at the College of the Arcane. So don't go telling me that your three schools were the top of anything. Yes, the Keep was destroyed many years ago as was the College of the Arcane, but the School of Enlightenment still teaches to this very day and still turns out the most powerful witches and wizards in the world."

You know, I never knew any of that stuff as I didn't really have time to pay attention to what Binns called a history class. I learned a lot of stuff like that over the next hour as Mike and Gabe ran circles around Dumbledore and the rest of the so called experts and officials. Like I learned that wands were originally considered training tools for the uneducated, to be disposed of once a person reached a particular level of proficiency. Evidently about five hundred years ago the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards had been forced by the pureblood elites to make wands mandatory for magic users because their children were never reaching the level needed to get rid of them. It was very embarrassing for the purebloods and helped foster an air of stagnation in the magical community that lasted to this very day.

As we sat there listening to the impromptu history lesson, Fleur and I took a seat on a bench where she soon fell asleep with her head on my shoulder. I was flattered that she felt so comfortable around me after having just met me and got a kick out of the look of surprise Madame Maxine aimed at me when she noticed it. I just smiled at her as she returned her focus to the ongoing history lesson. By that time Gabe was pointing out that each competitor was supposed to have their own private accommodations and training facilities provided them by the hosting school. When Dumbledore argued that there was no room for such facilities, Gabe read the old man the riot act for not being prepared to host the competition. I was just starting to drift off myself when Mike finally tapped my shoulder and smiled down at me.

"Come on, Harry, lets get you to your new accommodations so you can rest," he said with a smile.

I watched as Maxine lifted the sleeping Fleur up in her arms while McGonagall led us all out of the room. Outside the room I noticed it was quite late, given the lack of candles and people in the Great Hall. Of course I also noticed a corner of the room where it seemed several people were trying to remain hidden under one invisibility cloak. If I was counting the number of feet correctly, it had to be Hermione, Luna, Zoe, Gabrielle, and Aimee all bunched together under my dad's old cloak. Lucky for them, Gabe saw it before McGonagall did and the feet suddenly vanished as well before he gave me a wink. So, with the girls following after us, our ragtag band of students and teachers made their way towards one of the unused sections of the castle.

I had seen the grand staircase that led to this tower, but never even felt the desire to explore it. It was only later that Hermione explained that according to "Hogwarts: A History," this was the tower dedicated to foreign dignitaries and visitors. There were so many security wards on this tower that no one could enter it unless specifically keyed into the wards and even then once someone took up residence on a floor, no one else could enter or monitor it without permission until the occupant formally announced they were leaving, not even the Headmaster. It was intended to be something like a miniature embassy. I figured the part about not being able to monitor me was the bit Dumbledore would dislike the most, but I couldn't say for sure.

"There are seven floors in this tower with the top floor being a common area and meeting room," McGonagall explained as she led us up the stairs. "Each floor contains a small suite of rooms, armory, library, and training facility. The main door to each room can only be opened by the primary delegate, or champion in this case, and will be sealed against all other save those the champion admits of his or her own free will. The wards on each floor prevent anyone from forcing their way in through physical or magical means. The wards also prevent spying of any sort. Once you take possession of a room, only the staff of house elves working on each floor will be able to enter your floor. In case of emergencies, your house elves will immediately transfer you to the medical wing of the school."

McGonagall went on to explain all the rules, most of which were pointless as the other three competitors were already of legal age, so not bound by them. Really, the only person that had to worry about whether or not that had someone of the opposite sex stay overnight was me, but considering no one could get into my room to stop it, screw them. I think she was just trying to guilt trip me ino staying in Gryffindor Tower by burying me in meaningless drivel mixed liberally with shite. Whatever the case, I ignored most of what she said save the bit where she showed us how to claim a floor by channeling a bit of magic into the runes outside a door and then verbally claiming it.

Krum surprised us all by taking the first and lowest floor. Cedric was next, taking the second floor. I decided I wanted the sixth floor, the one with the best view of the castle ground. Fleur then took the fifth floor, leaving the third and fourth empty. Finally McGonagall said goodnight, leaving us for the most part to fend for ourselves. Krum and Cedric barely said a word before heading off to bed, while Fleur and I led the rest of our little group upstairs. Maxine promised to bring Gabrielle to Fleur in the morning, which was going to be interesting as she was currently hidden under my dad's cloak standing just about six feet away from us, not that I could tell anyone that. I also learned that Zoe and Aimee were Fleur's cousins who were being allowed to come with her only as a favor to their parents, as was Gabrielle. I was a little surprised by that, but didn't say anything.

Finally we said goodnight to Fleur and I headed up to my floor with Mike and Gabe. As soon as Maxine was gone, I turned around and led the group back to Fleur's door. Luckily she hadn't gone far when I knocked, opening the door almost immediately. You should have seen her eyes when Hermione and Luna lifted up the cloak to reveal Zoe carrying a sleeping Gabrielle and Aimee. I promised them an explanation for the cloak later, then wished them a good night and headed upstairs where I opened the door and ushered everyone inside. Now I could give you a detailed description of the entire place, but it would take about twelve foot of parchment and still wouldn't do the place justice. Needless to say it was larger then Number 4 Privet Drive and the Burrow combined, almost as large as Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Lucky for me, it was a lot nicer than all of them, even the Burrow which I considered one of the coolest places I had ever seen. It was like my own personal little castle inside a castle.

As Luna and Hermione explored, Mike and Gabe pulled me aside so Mike could give me some bad news. "Okay, Harry, the bad news first. You've got to compete in all the events. Reason being the clause about not knowing if you'll survive, well you already know you will, so you can't claim that one and have magic accept it as valid. Sorry kiddo, we used that as a bluff to get you a few perks, like this place, but it was all hot air."

"Now for the good news," continued Gabe. "We really are taking steps to get Sirius a trial with Veritaserum. Dumbledore will fight it, mainly because of some of the things you guessed this morning while you were yelling at him. We'll explain it in detail later, but only after we take you on a little trip to the Department of Mysteries, so you can hear that prophecy."

"That bad, huh?"

"I've heard worse, kid," replied Mike with a smirk. "Nothing you haven't already figured out for the most part, but once you hear it officially, we can destroy the copy there and Dumbledore won't be able to hold it over you any longer. Remember, this is about putting you in a position to change things for the better."

I nodded, it was pretty much a given by this point that I was going to change things. "I'm doing my best, but right now I need sleep. Will I see you two in the morning?"

Mike nodded as Gabe replied, "Now that you have these rooms, we'll be able to stay close and start your real training."

"Good to know," I said with a smile. "I think it's time we started changing things, don't you?"

* * *

AN:

::Blushes brightly::

Ok, so any of you that know me in real life know that one of my biggest pet peeves is when people don't backup their work on a computer.

Ummm…

So, I haven't backed up my work in a while and when I blew a circuit breaker the other night I managed to erase the hard drive on one of my computers. Ouch. A hard drive that contained all of my writing. Double ouch! Including the fully completed version of this story and another fully completed story, along with several completed chapters of my original book. Triple OUCH!

That being said, it's back to start point on everything. I'm recreating this story as I started posting it already, but the other one is a loss and since it wasn't that good I'm not bothering with it. Oh, the original stuff was hand written in notebooks anyway, so I have to retype it. It needed work anyway.

That being said, I'll post as I can and when I can. I still consider this complete as I already know where it is going, but I've got to put it all back down on paper again. Bright side, I can add a few concepts that occurred to me later. Pairing is still set, so sorry all of you who wanted me to add a few girls.

Oh, check out the link to my new blog, it's on my profile page. I posted pictures of how I see the girls in the story and it may help you get a better idea of how I see things.

That being said, go read something.

Chris :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Evaluation of Memories**

* * *

I woke up the next morning buried under a mound of blonde and brunette hair. The blonde hair was a given as I only know one blonde who regularly shares my bed, but the brunette was a mystery to my sleepy mind until I remembered the night before. It was late when we finally could resist the call of sleep no longer. Hermione freaked out at first because she was out after curfew, way after curfew. While Hermione was freaking out and ranting about how many points and detentions she was going to get for violating curfew, Luna just took her hand and let the distracted girl through the suite and through a door that led to the bedrooms. Without paying much attention to Hermione's verbal explosion, Luna opened the door to the bedroom I had picked out and pointed out the bed was rather large. Large enough in fact that the three of us could share it and never once touch each other no matter how much we rolled around, at least that was Luna's argument when Hermione started to protest. I was going to point out that there were several other bedrooms along the hallway we were standing in, but Luna stomped on my foot and pushed me into the room before I could say anything.

As it turned out, Dobby and Winky were my assigned house elf staff, as if Dobby would have allowed anyone else to see to my needs. Dobby had already transferred all my things from my old dorm, including the shirt I kept for Luna under the mattress. Cheeky little bugger noticed Hermione entering the room and created a second shirt for her to wear before leaving us with a comically large wink aimed at me. Hermione complained the shirt was too small, sharing a bed with a boy was wrong, and assorted other points that Luna and I completely ignored as we got ready for bed. I was polite and offered her the use of the bathroom to change and as soon as she was gone, Luna and I shrugged and stripped without blinking an eye. A few minutes later Hermione had walked out of the bathroom in the old shirt, and whether she knew it or not, stood in the doorway so that her body was silhouetted perfectly by the light behind her. I won't lie, Hermione has a great body that she hides far too often under bulky robes and clothing. The fact she's a year older than me, meaning puberty has been at work for her longer than it has for me, and she makes a fine figure in one of my old shirts. Hermione will deny it all day long, but she's got some of the best legs I've ever seen, bar none. She's gorgeous and while I knew she would soon shrink her teeth and learn how to tame her hair, even before all that I thought she was lovely.

"Come to bed, Hermione," I said after a moment, watching her blush as she turned off the light and made her way over to the massive bed.

The moment Hermione blew out the last candle, Luna scooted over so she and I could cuddle up together. Much to my surprise, Hermione joined us about two minutes later and I was soon asleep. That was what led to me waking up with Hermione curled up on my left side and Luna on my right side. Truthfully, I think that was the moment I realized I wanted to wake up like this for the rest of my life. Still, something seemed to be missing and I was determined to figure out what. That was for the future though and I still had so many things to do right now I couldn't focus on things like that, no matter how much part of me wanted to. In fact, if I didn't do something about that part of me and soon, it was going to cause some rather embarrassing problems.

It took a little while, but I managed to work my way out from under the two of them. I think Luna was awake by the time I was done and just liked all the wiggling and accidental brushing against one another that ensued. Either way, I made my way out of the bedroom and glanced at the clock on the mantle which claimed it was still only five in the morning. Damned thing had to be lying, I just knew it, but no matter how many times I blinked it stayed the same. Sadly, even if I went back to bed now, Hermione would be waking up shortly and then she would want me to wake up. Eventually I just wrote it off as a bad start of the day and headed for the bathroom to shower. Only problem I ran into was that I forgot to take my clothes into the bathroom with me so ended up walking out in a towel about half an hour later, earning myself a gasp and some giggling from the bed. I debated on turning my back to the bed and dropping the towel, but didn't want to freak Hermione out too badly, so grabbed my things and headed back into the bathroom to change. Luna told me later that Hermione was disappointed that I didn't do it, but was too shy to say anything. Oh well, lost opportunities just happen sometimes.

A little while later I stepped back out in to the main living area and noticed Mike and Gabe were already waiting for me, which was a good thing as I had a lot of questions. "One of you guys want to tell me why I'm angry most of the time and when I'm not angry I'm horny?"

Both men laughed, but while Gabe was busy laughing, Mike motioned for me to take a seat. "You're experiencing the echo of your first time through this. Remember, you were almost a sixteen year old male and now you've been dropped eighteen months back in history. Now that might not sound like a lot to you, but considering all the changes your body went through between then and now, it's a massive shock to your system. Your mind is telling you one thing, but your body can't keep up with it yet."

"So, that's why I want to grope Luna and Hermione, not to mention that new girl Zoe, but at the same time my little fellow has barely twitched since I got back? This morning is the first time it seemed to work right and even then I couldn't tame it no matter how hard I tried." I asked, not caring how vulgar it might sound or the fact I had just admitted I was wanking to the thought of my two best female friends.

Gabe nodded with a sad little smile. "Exactly, you're an older mind stuck in a younger body and your body is refusing to react the way you think it should, so you're frustrated."

"Trust me, at the moment I'm a lot more than just frustrated," I growled, trying to keep my temper under control.

"Watch out when your body catches up to your mind in a few months, you'll probably want to set aside a surplus of hand lotion and tissues," advised a smirking Mike. "Though if you play your cards right, maybe those young ladies of yours will help you with the situation."

Yeah, I blushed like a tomato hearing that, not that I didn't rather like the sound of it, but Gabe was still talking. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, but for now you need to get a bit of control over your emotions. Remember, Dumbledore is not evil, just manipulative. You're just seeing it easier because you have hindsight to look back on and you're experiencing it all over again. I know, it's a mess and it's not fair, but that's the way things are right now. Things will start to balance out soon, I promise."

I had already had the "Talk" with Sirius just a few months before coming back, shortly after I first mentioned that I found the way Hermione's bum looked in jeans to be really nice to look at. Sirius had charts, magazines, movies, and hours worth of tales from his youth that were harder to believe than the idea that Snape having ever washed his hair. Still, he meant well even if he did leave me with more questions than I had before. Two nights after I returned for my fifth year Luna crawled into bed with me and set out to answer all my questions in great detail. That was when we started exploring a bit more and I've got to say, I learned a lot. Who needed Sirius' charts when I had Luna there to give live demonstrations.

"Another issue we need to discuss, Harry," Mike said with a smirk as he walked over to the fireplace, pulling out a cigar and lighting it. "Dumbledore was so flustered last night by our arrival and your behavior that he completely overlooked a few of his responsibilities. Now we've already gotten you your own housing and training facilities along with household staff, but we need a few more positions filled."

"Like what type of positions?" I asked a little hesitantly, afraid Mike was going to throw a bit more sexual innuendo my way.

"Well, for starters you will need a press agent," Gabe answered. "It has to be someone familiar with the press agencies and their normal tactics. They will then move in here for the duration of the competition, dealing with the newspapers. The position is one of the oldest ones in the Triwizard Tournament, though it formerly referred to your own personal bard or minstrel."

"A position I will be more than happy to fill," stated Luna as she walked into the room, fully dressed. I had to giggle as she stomped towards Mike and snatched the cigar from his mouth before throwing it into the fireplace. "I will break you of that habit."

"Listen here, little girl!" roared Mike. "I'll bloody well smoke if I like and not you or anyone else is going to stop me!"

Mike actually had the balls to pull another cigar from his coat pocket and was halfway to lighting it when he caught a glimpse of Luna's face. Now I did not personally see the expression on her face, but seeing Mike suddenly turn chalk white and put the cigar away was a fairly good indication Luna had not held back. Personally I've seen Luna's scary expression just once and it was bad enough to pucker my ass so tight I couldn't shit for a week. From the look Mike was giving Luna now, I was thinking two weeks for him, but that's a tale for another time.

"Good luck with that," snorted Gabe as he watched Mike cower in a corner. "The job is your's, Luna. Maxine pointed the same out to Fleur earlier this morning and Miss Delacour recruited her mother for the position. Evidently the elder Delacour has a lot of experience working with the press corp."

Mike chuckled as he watched Luna plop down in my lap. "Yeah, the jobs your's, but we've got another position to fill as well."

"Shortly before the tournament was canceled," continued Gabe, "the judges added the position of 'Squire' to the champion's retinue. The elitist of the Middle Ages were much taken with the concept of Knights and their role as defenders of the realm. Todays modern Aurors are the results of that period in history. They were originally called the Knights of the Aurora Borealis, because they were thought to be above the Muggles and far more wondrous. It was all a load of tripe, but the masses ate it up. Back to my point, effectively the Squire is an assistant to the champion, helping to relieve the pressure of being a student and champion by doing the small tasks that the champion does not have time for. Now this can be anything from cleaning up after the champion to helping them study, or even helping them research for the tasks. The Squire is normally a very studious person dedicated to helping as much as they can while maintaining their own academic excellence."

"That has Hermione's name all over it," I said with a grin.

"I thought you might say that," agreed Gabe with a smile. "That being the case, I filled out the official notification before you woke up this morning. We just need to ask her if she want's the job."

"Ask who if they want what job?" asked Hermione as she walked into the room.

Hermione was smiling as she walked into the room, but it was her "I'm nervous" smile, the one she gets when she feels unsure about something. Whether it was because she had stayed in my bed the previous night, or for some other reason, she just had that tense look to her posture and the little crinkle she gets on her brow when she is out of her comfort zone. I'll give you a perfect example from our first year at Hogwarts. When I read the supply list for first year I assumed that robes went over your regular clothing. Ask any Muggle-born or Muggle-raised student and they would have told you the same thing. That being the case, imagine my surprise to find out that quite a few students from magical families just assumed robes were the only clothing to be worn. Even Ron had thought that way, which was the reason he rarely changed out of his pajamas unless it was the weekend because he could just wear his robes over top of them. Hermione had admitted to me in Second year that her first night in the castle had been very shocking to her after seeing her roommates shed their robes and only having at most a pair of knickers on under them. Warming charms were used liberally once they were learned, but for the most part it was only the kids from non-magical families that wore anything under their robes. Much to my shock, this held true for male and female students. I'm comfortable enough with my own sexuality to admit that Neville is going to shock the hell out of his lover when he shows that monster he calls a penis to them, but I don't need to see it waving around first thing in the morning when he stumbles out of bed. I'm jealous, but I've no idea what I would ever do with that much meat dangling between my thighs. Luna has assured me that I'm well beyond average for a guy my age, but Neville could put a troll to shame. Anyway, enough about Neville's dragon and back to Hermione.

I could see in her eyes, that and the faint blush on her cheeks, that Hermione was nervous about the previous night. The glances she kept making at Luna as the young blonde sat on my lap were a mix of disapproval, jealousy, and longing. Still, she wouldn't be Hermione if she didn't try to figure out the problem on her own before saying anything about it. Luna on the other hand doesn't care about that type of thing, which was proved as she got up and walked over to Hermione and hugged her. Without saying a word she pulled Hermione over to the couch and pushed my slightly shocked best friend down onto the couch next to me, pulled my arm from my side and placed it around Hermione's shoulders. Finally she sat back down on my lap and put her legs across Hermione's thighs to prevent the brunette from getting up.

"Get used to it, Hermione," Luna said with a smile, laying her head down on my shoulder. "You are right were you belong and that is never going to change."

"Never?" asked Hermione rather bashfully, though I detected it was aimed as much as me as it was Luna.

"Never!" we both replied firmly.

Evidently that was what Hermione needed to hear as she smiled and laid her head on my shoulder, snuggling up next to me. Now I'm a guy, so women are a complete mystery to me, but even I'm not so dense that I can't figure out she had me right were she wanted me. With one hand she reached up to the arm around her shoulders and took my hand in hers, while with the other hand she took one of Luna's. Yeah, I'm dense but I'm not stupid. I had just agreed to adding Hermione into a more permanent fixture in my life, probably my bed as well. Oddly, I'm not that worried by it. I remembered this would be the year that Ron would start to notice Hermione as a woman, but as next year he would spend most of his time orally attached to Lavender Brown, well he was on his own.

"That's so adorable," growled Mike. "Makes me want to puke, that's how cute that was."

"Knock it off, you prat," Gabe said with a smirk. "You're a romantic at heart, admit it."

Mike and Gabe explained the new job to Hermione, who instantly loved the idea and agreed to do it almost immediately. The fact she would be moving in and be allowed to do all the research she wanted was just a perk, but one she could not pass up. That led to an in depth discussion of what our plans and goals were for the Tournament. Personally I just wanted to quit the damned contest, but Gabe assured me that was not an option much to my displeasure. Luna suggested explosives, large quantities of them, but when I told her about the dragon from the first task she decided against the idea, citing that she did not want to hurt the "poor wee beastie." Yeah, she's spent way too much time with Hagrid and the Thestrals. Looking at Hermione, she admitted to being torn between wanting to back the established authority structure in her life, namely Dumbledore and the teachers at the school, and telling them all to go to hell while we packed and moved to Tahiti.

"Well, while the thought you two running around in swim suits is rather appealing," I started to say, only to be cut off by Luna.

"Why on Earth would we wear suits to swim in?" she asked Hermione, I couldn't see if she was serious or having a bit of fun at my expense. "I'd rather swim the way I always do, with nothing on at all."

"I think that's also an image Harry would find appealing," Hermione said with a smirk.

I have to admit, it was a rather nice image which strangely enough now featured both Hermione and Luna, but also featured Fleur's friend Zoe. Well, maybe it wasn't so odd considering she had hugged and kissed me the night before and at the moment I was surrounded by the only female's my age to do the same. You know, now that I think about it, I have a tendency to surround myself with very attractive young women who usually spend their time beating me over the head to point out exactly how dense I am. I mean with the exception of Cho Chang, who was more focused on having just lost Cedric, all of my female friends have been very attractive and convinced that I needed to pull my head out of my arse. I can't really say any of them were wrong, but given the nature of my upbringing I can't say my mental state regarding women should come as a surprise to anyone. It's not like I had a wonderful example of stability living with the Dursley's, nor even an example of a loving family. Still, sometimes when Luna wasn't there with me at night, I wondered if I would ever have a family of my own with a wife and children. I'd never admit it to anyone, but I worried I would die long before I ever got a chance to see what a happy life could really be like.

"You're brooding again," Luna whispered in my ear as Gabe was telling Hermione all about the history of the Triwizard Tournament, or actually the history no one wanted to admit to. "You're tense and when you're tense it means you are brooding, even if it's only in your mind."

"Just thinking of the future," I whispered back. "Wondering what the future holds."

"Wonders beyond imagination," was her reply, which was good enough for me.

As it was only just turning seven as we left the Ambassadorial Tower, I later found out it was being called the Champion's Tower by the students of all the schools, and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. We had to stop by McGonagall's office to turn in the paperwork to officially declare Luna and Hermione as part of my staff for the tournament and I could tell she was still not happy with me. It might have been the scowl, or maybe the fact she refused to speak to me, but McGonagall was pissed at me and I honestly didn't care. Hermione tried to talk to her, but her words fell on deaf ears which prompted me to lose my cool.

"Leave her be, Hermione," I finally said. "She's pissed at me and you by association. Let me guess, Professor, you're one of the ones that think I cheated to get into the tournament?"

Glaring at me now, McGonagall refused to answer me, but the answer was clear to see as I continued to speak. "Let's just forget the oaths I spoke yesterday, the ones that prove I didn't enter this contest, shall we? No, better to ignore the truth in front of you and to focus on what you think you know, right Professor?"

I waited for her to start yelling, but she didn't. Instead she looked confused and a little bit afraid as she stared at me. There was a tension in her stance while her eyes seemed a bit wild. Then her head tilted just ever so much to the right and I could almost see her trying to force her mind to work. Right then I realized she really had forgotten my oath, but it had probably been with the help of someone rather than just a vagary of old age. Evidently Hermione saw it as well because she reached forward, putting a hand on McGonagall's right arm while Luna spun and ran for the Tower. I was just standing there, confused and a little afraid because I had never seen something like this before.

We stood there for a minute, maybe a little more as McGonagall seemed to continue to fight whatever it was that was preventing her from remembering. It was a lot like watching someone fighting a petrification spell, that tension around her eyes and the way they almost vibrated. Hermione managed to push her back onto a chair, but I couldn't take my eyes off of McGonagall's. I just kept staring into them, finally taking her left hand in mine and kneeling down in front of her, the fear was evident and it was scaring me. Nobody really wants to see someone they respect when they are afraid, but that's just what I was seeing at the moment. I hated it, I really did, and what scared me even more was the simple fact that if she was fighting then it meant someone had done this to her. I didn't remember that from the last time I lived these times, so this seemed to be something new. Thankfully Luna burst back into the room closely followed by Gabe before I could start to really panic.

Gabe just smiled at us, pushing Hermione and me to the side before he kneeled in front of McGonagall and took her hands in his. Her eyes, which just a moment before had looked like a scared animal's, now looked into his own as he began to whisper to her. What he said, even though he was only a foot or so away from me, I couldn't tell you. It was like his words were for her ears only and nothing was going to allow anyone else to hear what was being said. When she started whispering back to him a moment later it was the same thing, we knew they were talking but it was just impossible to understand. With Hermione holding me left hand and Luna holding my right, we stood there watching as the two of them continued to speak.

Eventually, it seemed like hours but was really only several minutes, McGonagall just closed her eyes with a smile and fell asleep in her chair. Gabe scooped her up in his arms and carried the sleeping woman over to a couch on the far wall of her office, laying her down and gently brushing a stray hair from her forehead. I think he said something to her, something that even in her sleep had her smiling, but once again I couldn't tell you what was said. Whatever the case, Gabe turned back to the three of us and motioned for us to exit the office. Once outside we followed him a short way down the hall before he said anything.

"Her memories had been modified," Gabe said with a sad smile. "She has a twisted memory of yesterday's events, with nothing leading to or from your oaths, so no reason to think of them. Fortunately, thanks to the nature of your oaths, they cannot be forgotten, only the events before and after could be erased. So, when you mentioned the oaths she remembered them, but not the cause for them or anything else about them. For a person like Minerva McGonagall it was terrifying to think that she was loosing her mind, she secretly fears going senile like her mother and father did, so she froze when you reminded her of the oaths. Thankfully I was able to restore the memories, but she will need some time to rest."

"Thank you for that," I said, honestly grateful for Gabe's help. "Who did it? Was it Dumbledore or Snape?"

Gabe just snorted as he led us towards the Great Hall, saying, "Neither. It was Crouch Senior, though I would imagine it was due to Crouch Junior commanding him to do it."

"You didn't know about this happening?" asked Luna, glaring at Gabe.

"No, unfortunately I didn't," confirmed Gabe. "This is not part of the previous time stream and I am not omniscient, unlike the Boss."

"Whatever, I don't care about that," I interrupted. "I just want to know if she'll be okay and if this can happen again?"

Gabe just shrugged, saying, "I'm powerful, but I'm far from infallible. Could it happen again? Yes, if the person doing it is powerful enough, but I took steps to prevent it. No one save the Boss can say whether that will be good enough and she's not talking."

The premonition from earlier in the morning that this was going to be a bad day ended up coming back to me at that moment. Twenty minutes later as I walked into the Great Hall with the girls standing behind him, well lets just say I was positive at that point. The room went deathly quiet as I stepped inside, every set of eyes boring into me with varying emotions behind them. Some were easy to tell, the cold hate of people that just disliked me because they had always disliked me was evident from Slytherin's table. Gryffindor was a mix of hurt, confusion, betrayal, and dislike which had probably been made worse by the fact I hadn't returned to the Common Room last night. Hufflepuff was easy, they just looked like they were disappointed in me. Then we had Ravenclaw, who I realized weren't looking at me at all. No, they were glaring at Luna as if their angry little eyes were going to force her to step away from me.

That was the theme for the rest of the day. Whether it be in the halls or classes, once I entered a room it went dead silent. In classes I was ignored by everyone, including the teachers, to the point where I wondered if I had put my father's cloak on by accident and forgotten to take it off. I was rather glad when classes ended for the day, picking up my things and heading for the Tower rather then heading to the Great Hall. Obviously Hermione and Luna had the same idea as they met me at the staircase with frowns on their faces.

Luna told us how she had been informed by two girls in her year that she was no longer welcome in Ravenclaw House if she was going to associate with me. Hermione told a similar tale of how she had gotten the cold shoulder from her classmates. I remembered how bad it had been for me the first time around, but never imagined it may have affected my friends. Honestly, I was starting to wonder if Hogwarts and England were worth defending from Voldemort. Between how I had originally been treated this year and the next, not to mention the death of Sirius just before my return and I was starting to think that maybe it was time to pack up and head for the Colonies.

The girls and I had just reached my floor of the Tower when we heard footsteps racing towards us. Now I have to admit that I was already on edge, so can you really blame me for drawing my wand and stepping between the girls and the stairway? Thankfully a moment later I was pleasantly surprised to find two little blonde bundles of joy racing up the stairs towards me followed a moment or two later by Fleur and Zoe. Slipping my wand back in its sheath I kneeled down just in time to catch Aimee and Gabrielle in my arms. Talk about a much needed hug from an unexpected source. The day had been long and far from pleasant, but hopefully the night would be much better.

* * *

_AN: Delayed, but not forgotten or abandoned._

_Chris :)_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Bombshell Blonde**

* * *

I think the thing I like the most about being sent back in time is all the chances I have to correct the little mistakes I made the first time around. I'll give you a perfect example, really perfect, as the first time I participated in the Tournament I had been too focused on it and not enough on the things going on around me. Mike and Gabe call it having a "hindsight bullshit detector," but I think of it more as a healthy dose of reality. Watching Sirius fall through the Veil had been a massive wake up call for me, so I wasn't going to waste a chance to make sure I did better this time around. Not that any of the women currently in my life were going to give me the option to do anything less than my best.

My first two days back had been a bit of a mess, mostly because I was still angry at myself for leading my friends into a lethal trap. I fully admit that I blew up at everyone that crossed me, whether it was this time around or the last, so it's really not a surprise that I had ended up isolated again. Thankfully this time I had a few more friends around than I did the last time. Yes, with the help of Luna and Hermione along with Mike and Gabe, I had managed to pull my head out of my arse before I alienated everyone around me. Starting the night we found out that McGonagall had her memories tampered with the ladies in my life took it upon themselves to correct my attitude. The four French additions to my group had come up to see me and question me as to my horrible attitude. In fact, it was Gabrielle, with the assistance of Zoe's translating that snapped me out of my foul humor almost instantly.

Gabrielle had drug me into my suite in the Champion's Tower, pushed me down on a couch, and boldly crawled up into my lap where she proceeded to lecture me on the required traits someone needed if they were going to be allowed to be her knight in shining armor. These traits included patience, tolerance, wisdom, and most of all a desire to provide her with a near infinite supply of chocolate pudding. Obviously the last one was the easiest for me to do right at that moment in time. Still, she had a point, one which the other ladies wholeheartedly agreed with, that I needed to improve my way of dealing with things. I found it hard to argue with the precocious little girl, a fact proven when Aimee joined in and informed me she needed a knight as well and I had best start living up to her expectations, or else. Seeing the other ladies in the room nodding their agreement was just the icing on the cake.

So, that leads us to this point in time, the 21st of November and mere days away from the first task. I was currently escorting my entourage towards Hogsmeade and thinking back on my rather hectic life since coming back in time. For starters, Gabrielle insisted that I "learn to speak like a chevalier should," meaning intense French lessons. Not surprisingly, Hermione and Luna both spoke fluent French, so began my intense immersion French lessons. French became the language of choice outside of classes for my little group, meaning I had to either learn fast or be left looking a fool as the girls talked about me. Trust me, you do not want to be sitting amongst a large group of young women that can talk about you without you knowing what they say. I figured that out when I saw Luna holding her hands about ten inches apart as the other girls in the group blushed and tried not to look at my lap. That was all the motivation I needed to learn the language with all due haste.

Now don't go thinking I'm some prodigy when it comes to languages, because I'm not, but I did learn fairly quickly. This may have been thanks to the method of rewards Luna, Hermione, and Zoe chose. See, if I got it right I got hugs and kisses on the cheek, but if I got it wrong they started talking about my more personal attributes. Gabrielle and Aimee were never a part of those conversations, but boy did Zoe and Fleur seem interested. Zoe especially seemed to get flustered after the second time Luna described how I tend to be a bit hands on when I'm sleeping. If the blush, not to mention the look of longing, was any indications then she would not have been against a bit of wandering hands from time to time. Fleur on the other hand wasn't interested in me romantically, not really, but she liked the fact she could be herself around me and not have to worry I was going to start drooling when she entered a room. Unlike so many of the young men currently wandering the halls of Hogwarts I was not likely to start dry humping air every time she walked in a room, something I caught Seamus doing one day after Fleur walked past him. So, with the help of the ladies in my life, I learned to speak French and hoped eventually I would know enough to stop Luna when she started talking about the size of my hands versus her chest.

Another improvement was in the scholastic arena. All of the ladies, save the two youngest, insisted that I have my homework done immediately after it was assigned and with the best possible grade. Each night after the evening meal we would gather in my quarters to study, I would complete my assignments as best I could before Hermione and Fleur looked them over. The two of them would "grade" the assignment based on their rather high standards before handing it back to me with their criticisms written in the margins. No, they did not give me the answers, rather they pointed out when I was lacking some piece of information or my argument was not strong enough to support my answers. I would then sit down and rework the assignment until they could find nothing wrong with it, or I could argue my point with enough strength, they allowed me to consider the assignment finished. Then I was tasked with teaching what I had just learned to Aimee and Gabrielle, to insure that I knew the material well enough to explain it to a young child while Zoe corrected anything I got wrong. Those two girls, I kid you not, forced me to be on the top of my game with all their questions. It was a very effective method of learning for me and my grades over the month reflected it in every class, save Divination.

That was another improvement, at least for me, I had dropped the Divination course over Dumbledore's protests. We managed to have a civil conversation about his reasons for wanting me to remain in the class which boiled down to him wanting me to be familiar with the topic of prophecies. I admit I was a bit frustrated by his attitude, at least at first, then I took a deep breath and told him that I already knew about the prophecy regarding me. He of course did not remember that I had already admitted this to him, thanks to Mike and Gabe erasing his memories of the first time I revealed my knowledge, but when I told him the back story about learning about it from my solicitors he seemed to accept it even if he wasn't too happy about it. For the first time I could ever remember he was honest with me about the topic and explained the whole thing to me, even showing me his memory of hearing it the first time. I wanted to be scared about the whole kill or be killed aspect of it, but having already figured out that much about it I found I could only sigh and nod my head.

"I didn't want to burden you with this knowledge so soon, Harry," he admitted to me after we watched the memory. "I hoped you could have a few more years to enjoy your youth before you had to take up this responsibility."

I nodded, sighed again, and replied, "But ultimately it is my responsibility, Professor. I have to be ready when the time comes and I fear that time it coming sooner than any of us would like."

Thus began the change in my relationship with Albus Dumbledore. Sure, he was still a manipulative prick sometimes, but I now understood some of his actions. For example his fears regarding my recent behavior. It was Dumbledore's worst fear that I would "fall to the dark side," to quote one of my favorite movies, and my creative means of repelling _Legilimency_ attacks had only strengthened his fears. This led to a frank conversation about my connection to Voldemort and several experiments as to how strong of an attack I could truly repel. Much to Dumbledore's surprise when I allowed him to attempt an attack on my mind, the link between Voldemort and myself had been severed, most likely when I stepped through the Veil before my return in time. I also discovered that while Dumbledore could get in and look around in my mind, he could not see my memories of the first time I had lived this life. As Gabe explained it to me later, his Boss had severed the link and sealed those memories in a protected portion of my mind that no one else could see. This was a good thing as far as I could tell and it lessened Dumbledore's fears greatly that I could no longer be influenced by Tom's crazier ideas. The other perk was I learned how to deflect attacks without having to resort to methods that left people voiding their bowels, at least unless I wanted them to. My current favorite memory to use was being locked in my old cupboard under the stairs, sitting in pitch blackness and only hearing the muffled voices of the people outside while I cried. Snape really seemed to hate that one for some reason, hence the reason I used it on him every time he tried to get in my mind, which was every time I saw him.

There were many other things that had happened over the last month. Among them the fact I had bound Winky to the Potter family, something I had never gotten around to the first time and which brought great happiness to the poor elf. There was also the pending trial of Sirius Black, to be held the day after the first task, which Dumbledore had finally agreed to. Sirius was currently in "protective custody," meaning he was staying at 12 Grimmauld Place with Remus Lupin, the two of them getting a chance to reconnect that didn't involve running from the law. Dumbledore had volunteered to put the old Black Family home under the Fidelius, but oddly when he arrived to do so he found that he could no longer remember where the house was. Remus had sent me a note that he and Sirius had caste the charm the night before Dumbledore's arrival with Sirius being the secret keeper, seeing as it was his home and ultimately his secret to keep. I hated the fact that I couldn't talk to Sirius, Remus stated it was to keep me from being implicated any further in his escape, but it would only be for a little while. It wasn't as if I didn't have enough to distract me, given the fact that Zoe was now playing a more intimate role in my life.

Okay, I know, I rushed that one and you want to know how that happened. It happened like this, I was sitting on the couch one night, it was a Friday night and rather late, and just happened to fall asleep with Zoe sitting next to me. Now, rather than wake me up when I started to drift off, the other ladies in the room headed off to bed themselves, leaving Zoe and I alone on the couch. She had already drifted off before I had and before long we were cuddled up together, sound asleep. I woke up the next morning with an unfamiliar head of blonde hair in my face and the pleasant knowledge that whomever the hair belonged to was currently laying fully on top of me with my arms tightly wrapped around her. I was a bit confused, but when she woke up and kissed me without even thinking about it, well I soon forgot all about my confusion. Since then Zoe and I had an unofficial agreement that she was now a trusted friend and maybe more in time, so long as she didn't mind the fact that I usually had at least two other bedmates each night. Yep, Hermione had laid claim to my left side, with Luna claiming my right side, though unlike Luna she usually wore pajamas to bed.

So, now that I seemed to be the plaything of several beautiful young ladies, none of whom I was officially dating, I felt my life was taking a radical change for the better. Oh, don't forget I also had Aimee and Gabrielle bossing me around to make sure I met their notion of what a big brother, or knight in shining armor, should be. Gabrielle assured me that I was coming along just fine in regards to what she expected of me, but still thought I needed a horse. Aimee on the other hand thought I needed a sword and a shield, which I assured her I didn't, not that she believed me. As for male associates, Ron rarely ever came near me now, but considering when he did he tended to just stare at the chest of whatever young woman was available at the time, it wasn't a great loss. There was also the constant glares I received from most of the male population of the school, along with the Durmstrang students, but it was no worse than my second year when they all thought I was a murderous maniac. I didn't care as I usually had one of the girls with me and they talked me out of my gloom almost instantly. Aimee and Gabrielle were perfect for that considering they were such bundles of happiness most of the time. Though God above save you if you forgot that the last of the pudding was always to be shared between the two of them.

Oh, get this, there is no such thing as a partial Veela. I know, you're as surprised as I was when I learned it. See, there are no male Veela, so any female child born from a Veela is always going to be a Veela while the male children were just human. The whole "part Veela" thing was nothing but a ruse used by the Veela Nation to help them integrate with normal human society better. As it turns out Aimee and Zoe's mom was the Queen of the Veela nation, with her husband being the brother of Gabrielle and Fleur's Mother, Apoline. The Queen upon learning of my friendship with her daughters and nieces sent me a book all about Veela, one which I was not allowed to show anyone other than Luna and Hermione, that explained so much about Veela society and their behavior. It was rather interesting to learn that Zoe and Aimee were direct descendants of Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, the Marquise de Pompadour and better known as Madame de Pompadour, the most famous Veela in history. Not only had the woman been a political mover and shaker in the Muggle world, but she was also the Queen of the Veela in the Magical world.

That's enough of the past though as I previously said, I was currently being dragged to Hogsmeade by my little retinue of lovelies. Gabrielle and Aimee had claimed my hands while the older girls walked at my side. We were practicing our conversational French as we walked, a fact that had sever fellow students looking at me strangely. Sure, they accept I can talk to snakes, but heaven forbid I learn to speak a foreign language. I think it's a weakness of the Magical community in the United Kingdom, they tend to forget we live within a relatively short distance from several other countries that speak a different language than our own. Don't even get me started on Latin, the language we incant our spells in but that we don't study in school any longer. Zoe and Hermione both pointed out that every country uses either Latin or their native tongue to incant in, with the exception being the UK who only use Latin. Really strange that.

_"Here comes your little stalker, 'Arry,"_ whispered Fleur in French, pointing at the approaching form of Draco Malfoy. _ "I think he is secretly attracted to you, which is why he is always stalking you."_

_"No, I think he wants to prove he's a man by attacking someone he wishes he could be,"_ replied Luna with a smirk. _"Maybe someday he'll figure out that spending so much time being made a fool of is not going to prove the point."_

Zoe shook her head as we watched Draco glare at us before he suddenly turned to head down a side street with his cronies following closely behind him. _"No, I think he grew up reading stories of 'Arry Potter, just like so many others, and wanted to be friends with you. Unfortunately, he's a fool and a bigot, and that cost him the friendship he desired."_

I was rather stunned by the thought but suddenly remembered my first meeting with Draco Malfoy and had to agree. _"I think you hit the mark with that one. I still remember how surprised he looked when I first met him, finding out the boy he met in Madame Malkin's was THE Harry Potter. Then the flustered look on his face when I turned him down, right after he insulted Hermione. It all makes sense now, everything including his desire to belittle me every chance he gets. Sad really."_

That little obstacle avoided, I was drug into the first of many shops we would visit in Hogsmeade. We visited clothing stores, my wardrobe did not meet any of their expectations, which led to me being forced to model one outfit after another. Fleur and Zoe were rather disappointed in the selections available, both agreed to have Fleur's mother get some mail order catalogues from the better shops in Paris, but agreed that anything was better then my ratty hand me downs. My regular outfit which consisted of torn jeans, a t-shirt, and trainers under my robes was changed out for new jeans, a white oxford shirt, dragon hide boots, and a black dragon hide jacket. Numerous other items were bought, being told that boxers were sexier than briefs saw me blushing as I bought several pairs, along with a new waterproof watch and countless socks. It wasn't until later that I realized the socks were for when the girls' feet were cold and they wanted to borrow them, but that is another story. Still, I looked better and felt better about myself by the time lunch rolled around and we headed for Madame Pudifoot's.

I still remembered the last time I had been in the unnecessarily feminine tea parlor, but the girls insisted and who was I to argue with five sets of puppy dog eyes. Damn those pouts, especially Aimee and Gabrielle whom I had absolutely no defense against. Mike called that look on a girls face the absolute equalizer, as no man in his right mind can defend against it. Gabe on the other hand pointed out that if you batted for the home team it didn't work on you, but I wasn't about to switch teams just to gain some self respect back. Oh no, some sacrifices are just too much to ask of me and giving up enjoying the sight of the girls waking up in the morning was just too much.

_"'Arry, you and Zoe will be sitting at that booth while the rest of us will be sitting over here," _Fleur informed me, rather forcefully. _ "I think you two should get to know each other better."_

_"And with that horrible Skeeter woman being dealt with, you can do so in peace now,"_ added Hermione.

Yeah, that was a good memory, the way Mike had dealt with Skeeter was hilarious. The day after the weighing of the wands had gone as previously, with Rita's article making me look like a crying little ponce even though I had avoided her attempts at an interview. Unfortunately for Rita, Mike and Gabe were not about to let her get away with it, considering the whole "interview" was a figment of her imagination. The morning after her article appeared in the Prophet, Rita was arrested for several charges of breaking and entering, being an unregistered animagus, blackmail, and libel. Best of all, she had "accidentally" been exposed to a new experimental truth serum that left her unable to lie, for the rest of her life. Rita had admitted to everything nasty she had ever done and the Ministry was only too happy to send her to Saint Mungo's Permanent Spell Damage Ward, where she was likely to spend a long time until they could find a cure to the truth serum. Oddly enough, Luna assured me that they would find the cure shortly after I graduated from school when they realized the antidote was a Muggle medicine called Castor Oil mixed with prune juice, which would have to be taken several times a day for the rest of her life. I know, I keep getting distracted by the past and I'm not telling you enough of the present, but it was such a good memory I just had to share it with you.

So, back to Madame Pudifoot's. As the rest of the girls took a table a little ways off, Zoe and I made our way to the booth that Fleur had indicated. I waited for Zoe to slip into one side before I took the other side. Sure, there was a bit of me that wanted to sit next to her, but Fleur was right and I did need to get know Zoe a bit better before taking such an intimate step. Plus as I watched Zoe pull off her robes and hang them on the provided coat hook I had to admit she is incredibly beautiful. The dress she wore just helped accentuate the fact that she has a perfect figure, the way the dress clung to her every curve just accentuated the point. Yeah, she's got a fantastic figure, actually all the girls do. Since the first night we all sat around talking, Zoe and Fleur had taken it upon themselves to become our personal fashion experts. At first this just meant they helped Luna and Hermione prepare themselves in the morning. Gone was Hermione's frizzy hair, replaced by long wavy chestnut hair that reached almost to the middle of her back. Who knew that much length had been hidden by all the frizziness. Luna on the other hand, after all her things had been collected by Dobby and Winky, had cast off her butterbeer cork necklace and radish earrings in favor of a small gold cross and diamond studs, a gift from me for her last birthday. There was also hints of cosmetics and a skin lotions that left the two of them looking lovelier than I had ever seen them. Clothing was also an issue, with Luna and Hermione raiding Zoe and Fleur's closet any time we didn't need to be in uniform. Their new casual form of dress usually involved dresses and heels most of the time, which often left me dazed even without the use of Veela allure. Like today, Zoe was wearing a blue dress that hugged her figure, revealed enough cleavage to make it hard to look her in the eyes, and made those eyes seem to glow. Each of them wore something similar, with the exception of Aimee and Gabrielle who wore cute little smocks and leggings to keep warm in the November chill. Seriously, the rule of thumb for the girls once classes was over was that it was never a bad time to over dress and I had yet to find a reason to complain.

_"You look lovely,"_ I said as Zoe slipped finally got comfortable.

_"Thank you, 'Arry,"_ she replied with a faint blush before switching to English. "You look razer nice yourself."

"Well I hope so," I replied with a smile. "My personal fashion experts put a great deal of effort into picking out my wardrobe. I would hate to think you found fault in their work."

Zoe seemed to examine me for a moment, staring into my eyes as if she were sifting through my very soul, then she nodded. "You know, a Veela can always feel when someone is compatible wiz zem. It might just be compatible as a friend, or as a lover, but we always know."

"I didn't know that," I admitted, curious as to what it meant for me. "Is it some deep magic, part of being a Veela?"

Zoe giggled at that, she's really cute when she giggles, but then again she's always really cute and sexy. "Non! It's a lifetime of having men look at us wiz lust in their eyes. We can tell if you are compatible based on ze amount of lust we see in your eyes. You, 'Arry, are a mystery to me because you have ze wrong amount of lust in your eyes."

"There is a wrong amount of 'lust' to have?" I asked, leaning forward and resting my elbows on the table, then entwining my fingers in front of my mouth. She had my full attention now, her words making me wonder what was going through her mind at the moment. "Tell me, what level of 'lust' should I have?"

"See, zat is exactly what I'm talking about," she said with a smirk. "You don't act like a fourteen year old boy. You should be more lustful, but not know what to do about it, like your friend Ron. Non, you act like someone older. Not much older, only a year or so, but older zan what you are. I do not understand and it makes you a puzzle to me."

"So, let me see if I've got this straight," I began, hoping she was just underestimating my maturity and not that she had figured out I had traveled back in time. "Because I'm not drooling all over you and Fleur, I puzzle you? You would rather I see you as an object, like Ron does, rather than treat you with respect? I mean if that's the case I can stare at your chest all day, it's not a real hardship for me, but I personally think it's a bit disrespectful. As for being older, you do realize the type of life I've lived right? Not to mention that two of my best friends in all the world are also extremely beautiful and intelligent young women that would beat me silly if I treated them with anything less than respect? Oh, and before I forget, I've also got several new female friends that demand the utmost of my behavior. Especially the two youngest, who seem to have it in their heads that I'm some knight in training."

I took off my glasses, rubbing the bridge of my nose before continuing. "More to the point, I've got every witch and wizard within several thousand miles staring at me and waiting for me to fall flat on my face. No one has come right out and said it, but for every person that hopes I'll win this tournament there are just as many who would like to see me fail."

Zoe sighed, nodding sadly, unable to argue with what I had just said considering the clear evidence she had seen since my name came out of the goblet. Between the Slytherin contingent constantly heckling me and the rest of the student body flipping a coin daily to see whether to support or ridicule me, it was obvious there was no true support for me at the school. Honestly, there were only a handful of people that seemed to constantly be on my side, other than my lovely ladies. Neville Longbottom was a firm believer in my honesty, as were Fred and George Weasley. Ginny Weasley supported me, but rarely if ever actually spoke with me other than a simple greeting or farewell. Gabe had pointed out she might be jealous of the company I was keeping, but considering I barely knew her even considering my trip back in time.

"You have ze point," Zoe admitted with a sad smile. "It is much like how Aimee and I are treated at 'ome. We are constantly watched by ze my mozer's court, looking for any behavior zey deem unacceptable. We were forced to come 'ere secretly, just to be normal for ze time."

"Yeah, I don't even get that luxury," was my counter to what she said. "Even when I'm away from school I am treated like dirt, my relatives are not the most understanding of people. When I'm there I am watched, by the entire neighborhood, thanks to the lies my relatives have spread about me. People actually cross the street when I walk by, as opposed to here where I'm mobbed for something I don't even remember."

Reaching out her hand, Zoe took my hand in hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze, saying, "You are not dirt, 'Arry. You are a good man. Don't let anyone tell you differently."

We sat there talking for about twenty minutes, the topic ranging from what it was like to be a Princess to comparing quidditch to European football. We drank our tea, nibbled on crumb cakes, and generally enjoyed ourselves in the relative safety of the cafe. Eventually we made our way back to the castle with the others, Zoe kissed me on the cheek as we separated for the night at the door to Fleur's suite. Luna, Hermione, and myself sat talking until late into the evening, but I was thinking once again that something was missing. Whether I had forgotten something or it was just a random thought, I kept looking around as if expecting an answer to arrive at any moment. I wished once again that I could talk to Sirius, get his point of view, but it was impossible for the moment.

Telling the girls I would be up a little later, I sent the two of them of to bed and headed to the room that Mike and Gabe shared. The two of them were very rarely actually there, but it seemed that when I really needed to talk to them I could always find them in their room working on one thing or another. I had yet to see either of them sleep, I wasn't even sure if they needed to sleep considering my suspicions as to who they really were. Yes, I'm a bit thick sometimes, a fact I freely admit to, but even I'm not that thick and a bit of research in the library along with a quick question to Remus one day had pretty much confirmed my thoughts. So, knocking on their door I wondered if I should just outright ask them. Heck, they might even answer.

"Mike? Gabe? You in there?" I asked as I stood in front of their door.

"Yeah, kiddo, we're here," replied Mike in his customary gruff tone. "Come on in."

Opening the door I had to laugh. Mike had evidently erected some type of barrier that prevented the smoke from his cigars from escaping the room. A thick cloud of cigar smoke hung in the room, giving the room the look of an old pub rather than a richly decorated bedroom. Gabe was currently sitting on his bed reading a thick packet of papers, while Mike was lounging on his bed blowing smoke rings. Oddly, the cloud of smoke seemed to move around Gabe's, probably another barrier. Walking into the room the smoke suddenly vanished, a fact I was rather grateful for as I dreaded the thought of crawling into bed smelling like a cigar. Luna would not have been happy about that, not at all.

"So, Harry, what brings you down here so late at night?" Gabe asked as he sat his packet of papers aside.

"So, I've got a question for you both and I'm hoping you can answer it for me," I said as I sat in the chair that had been provided for the desk in the room.

Mike snorted, saying, "You've always got questions, but ask away."

"Are you two Angels?"

Mike almost swallowed his cigar the moment the question was out of my mouth, as it was he seemed to be having problems breathing for all the coughing he was suddenly doing. Gabe on the other hand started laughing, holding his hand out to Mike with a predatory gleam in his eyes. Once he got himself sorted out, Mike pulled a galleon out of his pocket and tossed it to Gabe, growling under his breath as he did. I just watched, pretty sure I knew what was going on, but waiting for one of them to answer before I said anything.

"Yeah, kid, we're angels," admitted Mike, snuffing out his cigar and sitting up straight on his bed to look at me directly. "I'm Michael, the Protector of Mankind."

"My full name is Gabriel," Gabe said with a smile. "I'm sure you already figured that part out, but it's always better to use full names when in situations like this."

"So, your boss," I began, then paused trying to find the right words. "Umm... She's the one I made my oath to and the one that sent me back, right?"

"Bingo!" confirmed Mike. "For some reason She likes you. So, you showing up in Her waiting room earlier than planned, that put a twist in Her knickers something fierce."

"Mike, please don't talk about Her knickers," begged Gabe, looking a bit nervous. "Last time you did, She was most displeased with you. I seem to remember she set you to watching grass grow in Antarctica for several hundred years."

"Does grass actually grow in Antarctica?" I asked, mainly because I thought the place was a giant ice cube.

"No, it doesn't as a matter of fact," snarked Mike, pulling out another cigar and lighting it. "I spent nine hundred years watching a patch of ice and trying to avoid horny penguins."

Now that was an image I didn't need. "Too much information there, Mike. Anyway, am I doing what I'm supposed to be doing? You said you two were going to train me, but so far I've barely seen you two."

Gabe stood up and walked over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder and smiling down at me. "You're doing just fine, Harry. Right now you are learning, thanks to your female companions. You're learning how to be a better man than you were before. The rest of your training will wait until after Sirius' trial, when we have more time before the next task in the tournament."

"And She doesn't have any problems with the fact I'm sharing a bed with two girls I'm not dating?" I asked, gesturing skyward as I asked.

"Nah, She planned that bit," voiced Gabe, laying back on his bed and blowing more smoke rings. "Don't let the publicity fool you, she's a romantic at heart. Not to mention She's got a thing for symmetry. See, Luna represents the future, while Hermione represents the past. If you ever get off your arse and admit you've got feeling's for your French friend, she'll represent the present. Your own personal version of the Fates, straight out of Greek Mythology. The Boss thought you could use a bit of guidance and those three girls are it for you. Well, them and us, not to mention the Boss if She ever decides to meddle."

"Which She does fairly often," admitted Gabe with a smile, returning to his bed to sit down. "She tries not to meddle, hoping that Her children will make the right choices on their own, but occasionally She will nudge you in the direction you need to go. I imagine in your case She was just waiting for you to figure out who we are. Now that you've done that you should probably try praying to Her. I wouldn't be the least surprised if She decided to reply."

That thought in mind, I said my farewells and headed to my room. It was a lot to take in, that really went without saying. God, who just happened to be female, had taken direct action regarding my life and even assigned two of her Archangels to watch over me. Rather overwhelming, to say the very least. Still, anyone that had the power to bring someone back from the dead and return them in time as She had, well, I wasn't going to argue with them. So, slipping into my room and crawling into bed between my two bedmates, I closed my eyes and for the first time in my life I prayed.

"God," I began, whispering as I stared up at the ceiling. "It's Harry, though you probably already knew that. I wanted to say thank you for what you did for me. I hope I'm not disappointing you with what I'm doing right now. You know, making changes to the timeline and learning new things. Gabe says I should talk to you, but I've never really done this before, so I hope I'm doing it right."

"You're doing just fine, Harry," a voice suddenly replied and I just knew I was in for a long conversation.

* * *

_AN: I swear, this chapter just annoyed me because it was hard to write the first time and even worse the second time. It was always going to be a filler chapter because there just wasn't that much that went on between Harry's name coming out of the Goblet and the first task. So, we get a bit more back story, or at least my revisionist version of it, along with the BIG reveal about who Mike, Gabe, and the Boss really are._

_Yes, many of you were right about that._

_I also explained why there are three girls in the group. Yes, that was planned from the get go and the reason for choosing the girls I did. I guess I could have picked Ginny to represent the present, but at she didn't play a role in Harry's life until after the events at the MoM, so that doesn't make sense for this story. Considering there were no other females in Harry's life that were true romantic possibilities at this point in the story, other than possibly Fleur, I brought Zoe in to fill the role. She will not instantly fit in, but she WILL be the third and last._

_Anyway, I have to go bury by model helicopter, it died a valiant death just a little while ago, and they no longer make parts for it. I really liked that model. Oh well._

_Next chapter will either piss you off or make you think, but it will be here soon enough. Meanwhile, go read something and send me a review._

_Chris :)_


End file.
